Tale As Strange As Time
by Harry Potter and the TARDIS
Summary: Guinevere Strange is the daughter of Stephen Strange. She goes on his journey with him and Thor to find Loki. When they do find Loki, something completely strange occurs that none of them expected. Basically a Beauty and the Beast tale with Avengers. Loki/OC. SPOILERS FOR INFINITY WAR!
1. Chapter 1

**a/n: THIS STORY IS UNDERGOING REVISION! I WILL REMOVE THIS NOTICE ONCE I AM DONE. I'll leave up most of my author's notes and responses to reviews. If you're curious about the revisions, I'm just putting my prequel chapters at the beggining now. Anyways, if you're new here, welcome to my story! Hope you enjoy! Just sos you know, the first chapter is about my OC's parents. Then, we'll get to my OC and eventually, Loki. Please enjoy! (I don't own Marvel)**

 **Rosalix Archangel- Thank you so much for your kind review! They always made my day! I know, I hate Thanos already and he hasn't even done anything yet. If he kills Steve or Loki I swear... Anyways, please enjoy!**

 **C.C. Capitols- I know! I'm so not ready for Infinity War. It will be the death of me. Please enjoy!**

Jessie Redtree never planned on ever getting married, let alone having children. Her only plans were to go to college, graduate with good grades, get a good internship and become one of the greatest fashion designers of all time. She didn't plan on spending her time at parties and living up the life of a college party animal. She was serious and smart and she certainly wasn't going to make any mistakes that might jeopardize any chance of her dreams coming true.

In her entire college career, she only went to one party. It was one party that her roommates had dragged her too. One party wouldn't be a big deal, right?

So when she found out she was pregnant one fateful morning, it was nothing more or less than the greatest shock of her life. She had been so careful. She had taken her medication, used protection. How on earth could this happen?

A*A*A

Stephen Strange found himself staring at the blond beauty across the room. He couldn't think why she had caught his eye. She wasn't even his type. His type was taller, brunettes, willing to put themselves out there. Not short, small blonds. And yet, he could not stop staring. No matter how many times he turned back to his roommate John and started a conversation with him, no matter how many other girls that were definitely his type came up yo flirt with him, his attention always returned to the blond girl across the room. Finally, he couldn't stand it. He handed the drink he had been given back to the girl who had given it to him, and pushed past her. "Excuse me." He grunted on his way past.

He made his way past a few dancers and couples snogging in dark corners of the room all the way to the girl. She was talking quietly with a few friends and laughing about some joke. When Stephen neared the group, several of the girls looked up. They were all silent until one whispered something in another's ear, causing her to snort with laughter. _Women!_ Stephen thought angrily to himself. Why did they have to be so stupid? He considered walking away, but found himself seeing flashes of the blond behind his eyelids. He just needed to talk to her.

Jessie Redtree was the name of the blond Stephen was admiring. She rolled her eyes at her obnoxious friends and punched the one who had laughed when Stephen came over. She gave a yelp and rubbed her arm. Jessie stood up. "Just ignore my idiot roommates. They're just stupid. Can I help you?" She politely asked the man.

Stephen arrogantly took a step forward. Women all over the college campus fell at his feet. It wasn't much of a wonder. He was good looking. He had dark hair, blue eyes with flecks of green and gold, and striking features. High, sharp cheekbones, tall, thin. He was also smart. He was studying to be a brain surgeon while earning his MD and PhD at the same time. He was nearly there, too. Just a year more. Meaning he would be rich in time, as he already had a job, working at the local hospital. He could've had any woman he wanted and he knew it. And it only inflated his ego, which was already big as it was. He never even considered he'd have trouble getting this girl to get a drink with him.

"Hey. Would you like to go get a drink?" Stephen flashed her one of his winning smiles, the kind that made other women feel dizzy and weak at the knees. Other women, that is. But not Jessie Redtree.

Jessie Redtree knew what she wanted. And she wasn't about to be swept off her feet by some good looking guy who thought he was every woman's dream. She had no intention of getting a boyfriend in any way, shape, or form. "No thanks." She said and she sat back down and went back to her conversation. She knew she shouldn't have come to this party. She should be home, studying for the upcoming test. It was only a week away, after all.

Stephen Strange was thrown off. No woman had ever told him no. Not that he was in constant pursuit of a woman. He'd had a few flings here and there but he certainly never had to beg for them. In a way, it was so appealing. A woman who wasn't going to throw herself at his feet. A girl who would play hard to get. It was so refreshing. He recovered from his initial shock and smiled. "Alright, then I'll bring it over here." He stalked off, ignoring the girl's protests.

Jessie huffed as the stranger ignored her. She fell back in her seat, an annoyed expression plastered across her face. One of her roommates giggled. "You've got an admirer, Jess." Her friend, Marlene teased.

"Shut up." Jessie mumbled. She knew that they were never going to drop this. Hopefully he would, though.

"Come on, Jess. Be normal for once. He's a hot guy, you're a pretty girl. Go do what anyone with common sense would do." Her other roommate, Lucy told her. Jessie shot a weary glare at her friend from high school.

"And what's that?" She questioned, her voice as weary as her glare. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw the guy coming back, two drinks in hand. He caught her watching him and sent her a quick wink and a smirk. She scoffed ant turned back to glare at Lucy.

"Sleep with him." Lucy replied nonchalantly, examining her perfectly done nails.

Jessie scoffed again. "I'm not some slut who sleeps with random guys." She retorted quickly.

"Gosh, you're so uptight Redtree." Marlene said. "Have a bit of fun for once." She quieted down when the stranger returned with the drinks. Marlene stole a glance at Lucy. They both silently agreed to some unspoken idea. Together, the two girl's stood up and walked away. Jessie tried to protest but they were too quick in their escape. Marlene turned back for a second to give Jessie a wave and a smile before turning back to flirt with some guy.

Jessie sighed and examined the man who was holding out a drink to her. Lucy was right about one thing. He really was handsome, with his dark black hair, bright blue eyes, high cheekbones and sharp features. But she swore in high school that she was done with men and dating and romance. One guy in high school who took it too far was enough for her to never want to trust men again. He was still holding out the drink to her, waiting for her to take, with a knowing glance as she looked him up and down. "No thanks." She said, still polite but a little more firmly than before.

Stephen didn't take the drink back. He merely smiled and still held it out to her, waiting for her to take it. Now that he had seen her, he wasn't going to give her up that easily. "I don't even know your name." The girl said, still not accepting the drink. Stephen's smile grew. The more time passed, the more he found himself liking this girl.

"Stephen Strange." He answered confidently. "You?"

Jessie watched this Stephen Strange character carefully. As hard as it was to admit it to herself, she actually kind of felt an attraction to this guy. He was confident, assured, determined and good looking. But her boyfriend in high school had been exactly the same. He made her feel so special and then he turned around and stabbed her in the back. He pushed her too far and she gave in too much and when she finally told him enough was enough, he left her without a note or an explanation of any kind.

Jessie sighed and decided that one drink wouldn't hurt. She would be strong and she would tell him when enough was enough before it got too far. "Jessie Redtree." Jessie answered carefully and she finally accepted the drink. She looked at it closely before taking a small sip. Stephen smiled as she finally accepted and took a sip of his own drink.

"So," Stephen began, "what are you studying to be?" He took the seat her red headed friend had been sitting in, pulling it closer to her.

A*A*A

Jessie woke up that morning, feeling just fine. She only had the one drink, so she wasn't hungover. Unlike her friends, who were clutching their heads and moaning, as they took big drinks of water. Jessie smirked at them.

Marlene finished her glass of water and ran a hand over her curly red hair. "So," Marlene took on a probing tone, "how was your date?" She smiled knowingly at Jessie. Jessie rolled her eyes at her eccentric red haired friend. But she had to think for a minute. It really hadn't been as bad as she thought it would be. He was arrogant, a little too much. But he was also funny and a good guy. Or rather, she hoped he was. They had talked the whole evening. Stephen had suggested she come "check out" his dorm rooms. She had flatly refused and left a confused Stephen Strange behind.

"It wasn't bad." She finally admitted. Marlene grinned and so did Lucy, who was finally starting to recover. "But nothing happened, if that's what you're wondering." She quickly dispelled their ideas and both girl's lost their smiles. "You both saw me come back here last night. Why are you so shocked?"

Both Lucy and Marlene looked confused. "I don't remember that.". Lucy said, her brows furrowing in concentration. It looked painful. Jessie should've known they wouldn't remember. Both were just about black out drunk when she came home.

She shook her head. "Never mind. I'm going to go take a shower. Maybe go to the store." They had no classes today and it was her week to shop, anyway. Each of the three took a week and that was their week to go shopping for everyone. Jessie hated shopping, but if she wanted more Ramen, she would have to go. Jessie stood up from the table and walked off to her shower.

Once she was showered and cleansed, she put on her makeup and put her hair up. She curled her bangs and put on a pretty blue blouse and tan skirt. Finally, some white sandals and she was ready to go. Jessie honestly loved dressing up. It was the reason she decided to get a degree in fashion design and construction. She had made her outfit herself, sewing the shirt and the skirt. She had bought the shoes, though.

Jessie gave a quick wave to her friends and grabbed her purse before she was out the door. It was a lovely spring day. Nearing the end of the semester. There weren't very many students out. Most were sleeping in. Occasionally, one would come out of their dorm to head for work. Jessie started to him, as the fresh air was putting her in a good mood. She could feel it in her gut. Today was going to be a good day.

A*A*A

Stephen was brushing his teeth and nursing a headache from last night. His roommates, John and Greg, were watching the TV and eating their breakfast. Stephen hadn't gotten much sleep last night. To his great dislike, Jessie was still stuck in his head. He had enjoyed getting to know the blond, who had suddenly changed what his type was. Even after getting to know him, she had completely denied him. It was infuriating and attractive at the same time. Which was why he couldn't drop her now.

As he brushed, he watched out the window. To his delight and surprise, he saw Jessie Redtree. She looked even better in the daytime than she did last night, if that was even possible. He stared at her for a while before she started to fade from his view. Without a second thought, he pulled the toothbrush out of his mouth and rinsed it off. Then, he grabbed a T-shirt and pulled it on before slipping on some sneakers and dashing after her. He just had to talk to her again.

He followed her from a safe distance away, to see where she was headed. Jessie entered the nearby grocery store. Perfect. He could pretend that he needed to buy something before "accidentally" running into her. He headed in to the store, ready to meet the girl again. He felt slightly foolish, chasing after a girl. He never chased after girls. They were the ones that chased after him. But where was the excitement in that?

Jessie walked down the bread aisle to grab a few loaves. She looked for the cheapest brand that still tasted good and reached out to grab a loaf. Just as she touched it, another hand grabbed it at the same time. "Sorry." Jessie said, turning to apologize to the stranger and take another loaf. But the stranger was not a stranger. He was a Strange. Stephen Strange, to be precise.

"It seems we meet again." Stephen said dramatically, raising his eyebrows. His voice was teasing as were his eyes. "Jessie, right?" He asked, though he knew perfectly well what her name was.

"What are you, my stalker?" Jessie asked him. She grabbed the loaf and put it in her basket. She took another one and started to walk away without another word. Stephen followed her to the next aisle. "What do you want?"

"I was thinking that maybe we could have a dinner to go with our drinks." Stephen said casually, hands in his pockets as he walked side by side with her.

"Really?" Jessie sounded bored. She grabbed a large case of Ramen noodles from off the shelf and moved on.

"Yes, really." Stephen persisted. He jogged to catch up with her, as she had gotten ahead. Then, he walked backwards in front of her so they could be face to face. "What do you say?" He looked her over carefully. Her body language was bored and she was showing little interest in their conversation. It made him feel a twinge of irritation. The one girl he truly wanted was the one girl who wasn't going to cave in with a single drink and a sweet smile.

"I'd say you're about to run into a Coke stand." Jessie said without looking up from her groceries. Stephen turned just enough to avoid toppling the stand of Come over. When he turned back, Jessie was gone. He jogged over to the next aisle and caught up to her.

"Don't change the subject, sweetheart. It's a yes or a no." Stephen said. He wasn't sure how much longer he wanted to play this game of cat and mouse. Especially when he was the mouse.

Jessie sighed and stopped in her tracks. She put her hands on her hips and glared at Stephen. "If I say yes, will you stop stalking me?" She asked him, sounding annoyed and looking annoyed.

"Stalking you I'm not stalking you. I had to come here to get some food too." Stephen defended himself. Jessie didn't buy his lie and Stephen knew it. He sighed. "Fine. I'll stop."

"And you'll stop pestering me?" Jessie pressed. Stephen nodded, a smile growing on his lips. He knew what was coming. "And you'll never call me sweetheart ever again?" Stephen nodded again, the smile still spreading like butter. "Fine. Then I'll go on one date with you." She held up one finger to put emphasis on the one.

"That's a deal." Stephen nodded. "Are you free tonight?"

A*A*A

The relationship between the two only grew from there. Jessie didn't stick to her promise of only one more date. She just couldn't help herself. The more time she spent with Stephen, the more she felt happy. It was the first time she had ever felt that thing with any guy ever. It was her dream from childhood coming true. She thought it never would when she finished high school. But she was glad she was wrong. Stephen made everything so much easier. School, studying, putting up with her friends when they drove her crazy. He was everything she ever needed.

They dated for several years out of college. For some reason, they never really talked about marriage. Oh, Jessie wanted it. She knew that now. But when she had casually mentioned it in passing, Stephen had stiffened and quickly changed the subject. Jessie got the hint and while it hurt, she never brought it up again.

After a few years, their relationship started to decline, as so many relationships do. They no longer felt that thing, that magic they had felt all those years ago in college. It might've been salvageable, if not for the incident.

Jessie had gone out with a few friends from work for a girl's night out. They were getting a few drinks at a bar. There was this one guy, that kept pressing himself on Jessie. He kept offering her drinks and kept trying to start a conversation with her. Although her relationship with Stephen had been strained at this point, she was still determined to remain loyal to him until the very end. She refused him over and over. It got to be too annoying, so she gave Stephen a quick call and asked him to pick her up. She had gotten a ride there from a coworker, as they carpooled to work a lot. Stephen agreed and said he'd be there soon.

Jessie left the bar and stepped outside to be sure to avoid the guy. She rubbed her bare arms as it was cold outside and looked up at the sky sadly. You couldn't see any stars in New York city. She had grown up in the back country of southern Georgia, where the stars had been pretty visible just about every night. It was a little upsetting to see what light pollution was slowly doing to the stars. "Hey, there you are." An all too familiar voice called out to her. Jessie groaned and turned around to see the guy who was flirting with her earlier. "I was wondering where you had got to."

"I told you, I'm not interested. Now, please leave before I get a restraining order." Jessie snapped in irritation. Why couldn't guys just take a hint sometimes? It was really starting to piss her off. When the guy didn't leave right away, Jessie swore at him loudly. He didn't like that. Not one bit. A dangerous glint in his eyes, he grabbed her by the shoulders and pulled her in for a long kiss.

Jessie's eyes flew open in shock. She reached a hand up to try to shove him away but she never was very strong. And her attacker was very strong. He held her close and pulled her in for more. Jessie struggled as best as she could, but it was no use. He was much too strong.

With great luck, Jessie heard a shout. "Hey!" It was a man's voice. A voice she recognized. Stephen. The man was distracted enough that Jessie was able to break free of his grasp. She shoved him off and stumbled away, wiping at her mouth. She moved over to Stephen's side, hiding slightly behind him. Stephen glared at the man and the man glared back. Without a word, Stephen punched the man square in the jaw. Then, he spun around and got in the car, without a word to Jessie.

Jessie watched her lover in shock at the anger on his face. It scared her a little bit. She quietly got in the car and sat down. Stephen got in the drivers seat and slammed the door shut. He started the car and began to drive recklessly through the city. Jessie tried to talk. "Stephen..." But Stephen remained silent. He kept his hard expression on his face. He didn't even look at her. It made Jessie's eyes well up with tears. She blinked to keep them at bay.

When they got to their apartment, Stephen opened the door for her and slammed it shut. He dropped the keys on the counter and walked off to their bedroom. Jessie wasn't going to let him go without an explanation. "Stephen! Please just listen to me!" Stephen stopped but did not turn around. "I never touched him. He touched me. He forced himself on me. I tried to stop him. I really did. I'm sorry."

Stephen turned to face her. His expression was still hardened in anger. "And this had nothing to do with the fact that you don't feel anything anymore, right?" His voice had a bite to it.

Jessie bit her lip, wondering where he had heard that. Then, she shook her head vigorously. "No, Stephen. How could you say-"

"Don't lie!" Stephen interjected loudly. "I heard you." He barked.

Jessie felt a tear fall down her cheek. She knew exactly what he was talking about. One day, she had a coworker over before dinner for coffee. They were talking about their husbands and relationships. Jessie confessed that she no longer felt as happy as she used to with Stephen. It was right then that Stephen had walked in, coming home from his shift at the hospital. Jessie had panicked, thinking he'd heard her, but he never said anything. So she relaxed. "How much did you hear?" Jessie whispered.

"Enough." Stephen answered shortly. There was a long, painful, awkward pause. Then, Stephen cleared his throat. "Well, if that's what you feel, you can leave." Jessie looked up at him in surprise. "I played for this apartment with my own money. It's mine. You have a job. Why don't you go and find your own flat?"

Jessie felt tears of anger and sadness pour from her eyes. "Maybe I will." She snapped. She pushed past him to their room. She grabbed a suitcase and shoved the majority of her things in there. As she walked out, she stopped next to Stephen. "I'll pick up the rest of my things over the weekend." She said shortly. "Goodbye Stephen." Stephen said nothing as Jessie marched out the door and out of his life, for good.

A*A*A

Jessie stayed at her coworker, Marissa's house. Marissa's was the one she had been talking to that day that everything started going downhill. Jessie wished more than anything she could go back to the beginning, change everything back to normal. But there was no way that was going to happen.

Jessie woke up that morning with an upset stomach. She spent the early hours of the day heaving over the toilet. There was no way she could go to work like this. She called in sick and took the day off. She spent it reading her books and listening to depressing music. It had been almost a week since she had left Stephen. It was painful, but even she knew she was being overdramatic.

Jessie got up and started to make herself a small meal, that she felt she was craving. Ramen. She sang along with the CD player that played a song that made her think of Stephen.

 _"The sailor said: Brandy,_

 _You're a fine girl, what a good wife you would be_

 _But my life, my lover, my lady, is the sea."_ *

For some reason, it reminded Jessie of Stephen. While she knew she was to blame for the end of their relationship, she knew Stephen had something to do with it. The reason Jessie no longer felt the magic was because he was always gone. Always at work. Always off to do some surgery or other. Off to do a CNN interview because he had invented some new method in modern medicine. Jessie hardly ever saw him. When they did, they hardly ever talked about themselves because Stephen had more work to do.

That was his sea. His work was what gave his life meaning. He may have loved her at some point, but he lost that affection a long time ago. And so did she. Maybe they were just never meant to be together.

The next day, Jessie was still throwing up. She called in sick again, but now she was a little suspicious. It was the exact same thing the next day. Jessie knew she couldn't go on like this, so she went to go see a doctor. To her surprise and terror, he handed her a pregnancy test.

She took it and the doctor told her she was pregnant. Jessie went home and started sobbing. How could this happen? She had been so careful. Neither she nor Stephen ever wanted a child, so naturally they took every precaution possible. But it hadn't mattered. Now she no longer had Stephen and she was saddled with a child. What was she supposed to do?

A*A*A

The baby was overdue. Way overdue. Jessie groaned and ran a hand over her overly large belly, trying yo soothe the constant aches and pains she felt. Being pregnant was ten times more uncomfortable than she ever imagined. With another groan, she rolled over and got out of her bed. She hadn't gotten a good night's rest since she couldn't remember when.

When she finally pulled herself off her bed, she gasped. Her water had just broke. She started to panic. She couldn't remember what she was supposed to do. She grabbed her phone and dialed 911. She called in an ambulance and they took her away.

Jessie had to give birth in an ambulance. There was no way they could give her an epidural that late in the process, so she gave birth live. She screamed as she pushed her hardest to get the young baby out. There was a fresh scream and Jessie collapsed, heaving and panting. There were several loud shrieks as the young baby took its first breaths. "It's a girl." One nurse announced, wiping the baby off. They took it to weigh it before handing her to Jessie. "She's big. A whopping nine and a half pounds." The nurse told her before writing it down on a paper. "A name?"

Jessie looked at the young thing in her arms and tears welled up. Her eyes. Her eyes were the exact same color as Stephen's eyes. Stephen had a daughter and he had no idea she was even alive. Jessie hadn't told him that she was pregnant. She thought it would be too hard, too painful. "Guinevere Marie Strange." She would have Stephen's name. He was the father after all. Children always took their father's last names.

"And her father?" The nurse asked, scratching the name down on a paper.

"Stephen Strange." Jessie whispered. Jessie suddenly gasped again as pain clenched at her stomach. The pain was too much. She screamed. The nurses quickly took Guinevere from her arms. Jessie screamed again.

"She's slipping!" One nurse said. Jessie sucked in one last breath before becoming completely still. The nurses tried everything to save her, but it was no use. Jessie Redtree had died in childbirth.

A*A*A

"Stephen?" Christine Palmer knocked on Stephen Strange's door and poked her head in. Stephen merely grunted, not looking up from his paperwork. "There are several people here to see you. They insist on meeting with you immediately." Christine let in the people before Stephen could say no.

In came several men in suits, carrying a baby carrier. Stephen looked on in confusion. Strange, I'm Mike Gregson, with the adoption services." Stephen shook the man's open hand, still confused as to why they were here. "Dr. Strange, we have a child here that we have reason to believe is your child."

Stephen was frozen for only a moment before shaking his head. "That's impossible."

"Did you indeed have a relationship with a woman by the name of Jessica Redtree?" Mr. Gregson asked.

Stephen nodded. "She had a child?" He asked stiffly. How come she had never told him.

Gregson nodded. "Yes. She told us that you were the father." One man pulled a sleeping Guinevere out of her carrier. "Dr. Strange, this is your daughter. Guinevere Marie Strange."

"Well, why can't Jessie take care of her?" Stephen asked.

"Ms. Redtree died in childbirth." Gregson explained. Stephen ignored the little pain he felt at that news. He never got to tell her how sorry he was...

Stephen looked at the baby in the man's arms. He took a step back. There was no way he could be a father. He never even wanted kids. And besides, how could he take care of her in between shifts? There was no way. He shook his head at the men. "I can't take her. I can't be a father."

"Sir, if it's an issue of money..." Gregson began but Stephen cut him off.

"It's not. I'm just... Not ready to be a father." Stephen answered.

"So you will put her up for adoption?" Gregson asked.

Stephen looked at the tiny thing in the man's arms. She had woken up now. He looked at her eyes. Eyes that looked just like his. Then, he realized with a pang, that other than the eyes,she was an exact copy of Jessie. "Yes. I am."


	2. Chapter 2

**a/n: Just wanted to mention that I found an actress that I think could play Gwen. Britt Robertson. She's a talented actress and looks very similar to how I pictured Gwen. Also, we're going to skip Gwen's boring childhood and go straight to her finding her father and Kamar Taj. Suffice it to say that she gets along with her brother and her dad is not her biggest fan, but he takes care of her. Similar to Loki and Odin's relationship. Oh yeah, I also am writing an AU to this story that makes it exactly the same to the Beauty and the Beast story. If you want to check that out, feel free. I also saw Black Panther! It was so good! Did not disappoint. I would definitely recommend seeing it. Sorry, long author's note today. Please enjoy! (I don't own Marvel)**

 **Gwen- Criminal by Britney Spears**

 **Stephen and Jessie- Hello by Adele**

 **Loki- Emperor's New Clothes by Panic! At the Disco**

 **C.C. Capitols- Thanks for reviewing! Glad you caught my little Sherlock reference. Yes, I did put that in there on purpose. Yeah, Stephen is a complete jerk in the last chapter, but I think he makes up for it a bit in this chapter and the next.**

There was a knock on the door to Kamar Taj. Wong opened the door, thinking perhaps that Mordo had returned. They had just defeated Dormammu and his Zealots. After their defeat, Mordo left them behind saying that there were too many sorcerers. Wong hoped that he would come to his senses and return to Kamar Taj soon. At the moment, it seemed like that was just what was happening. But to his surprise, it was not Mordo. Instead, there was a pretty young blond girl.

"Hello. Is Stephen Strange here?" The girl asked. She was of average height, with blond hair down to her lower back. She had a round face and a long thin nose. Her eyes were a familiar shape and color. Wong couldn't quite place it, but those blue eyes looked so familiar to him. Same with her smile.

"Who's asking?" Wong asked. You never know. She could've been dangerous. An enemy of Kamar Taj or a spy of Dormammu. Wong wouldn't be surprised.

"My name is Guinevere Bates, though my real name is Guinevere Strange. According to my birth certificate, Stephen Strange is my father. I was told by a friend of his that I could find him here." Guinevere explained.

Wong looked as stone like as he normally did, but inside he was surprised. He had no idea Stephen had a daughter. He never mentioned her, not to mention the fact that he didn't seem like a family type man. Definitely not the type to have children. "Are you sure?" Was the only thing Wong could think to ask.

Guinevere shrugged. "Look man, all I have to go on is my birth certificate. My mother told the nurses that my father's name was Stephen Strange. They also said they went and saw him and he gave me up for adoption. So yes, I am sure. Now, is he here, because I'd really like to speak to him."

Wong was vaguely reminded of Stephen by her tone. He opened the door a bit wider and allowed the young girl to come in. "Follow me." He said. Guinevere followed the Asian man down the hall. She looked around curiously at the weird place. It was filled with odd artifacts, like a museum. At one point, Guinevere could've sworn she saw one of the artifacts moving. She brushed that thought aside though and put it down to her imagination. "Wait here." Wong told her. Guinevere nodded as he left the weird room.

Guinevere sat on a table in the room and put her feet up on the table. She looked at a glass case holding a hammer like thing. It was like some sort of war hammer, but not like Thor's hammer. Thor's hammer was probably a million times cooler. Though, Guinevere thought that she couldn't lift it since apparently only the worthy could lift it.

Stephen walked into the room that Wong had told him his supposed daughter was waiting in. Stephen knew he had a daughter, but he had asked to remain anonymous to her. She wasn't supposed to know who he was. How could this happen? Maybe there had been a mistake. Some girl who saw him in some CNN interview and was hoping to get some money or something else. Well, joke was on her because he lost all his money.

But when he saw her, he knew there could be no mistake. She was an exact copy of Jessie. The same face, same nose. Same hair, except it was longer than when he last saw Jessie. The only things that were really different were her eyes and mouth. They were just like his. He was shocked into silence, which was rare for him.

"Stephen Strange, right?" Guinevere asked. Stephen just looked at her. Guinevere smiled at his silence. "Right. Well, I don't know if you remember me, as the last time we met I was a baby, but I'm your daughter." Guinevere introduced herself.

"What do you want?" Was the only thing Stephen could ask. He knew she was eighteen NY now and legally an adult. She didn't need him to take care of her. She should be going to college, like he did.

"I don't want anything really, I guess." Guinevere said with a shrug. "It's just that, my adoptive father, that you gave me up to, by the way, he died. In a terrible car accident." She was a sad about it, of course. Her only family she ever knew had died. But that was a year ago. The bad feelings had mostly faded by now. She no longer saw her dead brother, which was good.

"I'm sorry for your loss." Stephen said shortly. He wasn't quite sure why this visit made him so angry. Except that, he never wanted to be a father. He never wanted a bunch of little kids running around his house. He never wanted a classic American family life, where he had a bunch of grandkids sitting on his knee at Thanksgiving dinner.

"Eh, it was a year ago. I'm good now." Guinevere shrugged her shoulders. "I really just wanted to meet you. Let you know that I still exist." She was good at concealing it, but she was angry at him. Angry at him for letting her go when she could've been in his hands this whole time. Angry that he let her fall into the hands of a man like Mr. Bates. Someone who, while he took care of her, he didn't care for her in the way a father was supposed to.

"I remember you." Stephen said suddenly. Guinevere looked at her father closely. She had his eyes. Like Harry Potter, but backwards. She looked just like her mother, and she had her father's eyes, but was really more like her father, personality wise. Extremely smart and incredibly boastful about it.

"You do? Of course you do. Photographic memory, right?" Stephen looked at her in surprise. "I have one too. Unfortunately for me, I don't remember you. I believe I was asleep at that point or I was too tiny to recall."

"What do you want from me? I don't have money. What is it you want?" Stephen asked again.

"Do you want me to be honest?" Guinevere asked. Stephen nodded. "I don't know. I really don't know. I have no where else to go. I spent all my money getting here and I have no where else to go. This is the only place I have. I could get a job, but no one will hire me right out of high school, even though I have graduated early and I have a bachelor's degree. Apparently, I'm too young and I don't have enough experience." Stephen looked at her skeptically. "Either it was that or anyone that doubted my credentials, I called them f***ing morons."

Stephen actually gave a chuckle at that. "Well, I really don't know how I can help you." He said honestly.

"I don't know either." Guinevere admitted. "I guess I came here for no reason." Guinevere hopped off the table. She was about when she turned around. "Just... one question. Why did you give me up?" She needed to know. Needed to know just what made her so disappointing that he didn't want to keep her.

Stephen looked at her and the answer was written all over her. She looked so much like her mother. So much. "I'll be honest with you Guinevere, I'm not the fatherly type. Neither was your mother. We never wanted children. I hate to say it, but you were an accident. I don't mean to be harsh, but you wanted the truth, I'm assuming." Guinevere nodded, because it was exactly what she wanted. "Jessie and I had a... A fall out, just after you were conceived. She left and she never told me that she was pregnant. Then she had you and died in childbirth. Some people came and told me that you were my daughter and I had no idea what to think. I'm not the fatherly type and I never could be. I thought you would be in better hands if I gave you to another family."

Guinevere looked over her father's face carefully. "And that was the only reason?" She felt there was something else.

Stephen smiled because she was clever. But it was a sad smile. "You're clever, you know."

"Yes, I did know." Guinevere said and Stephen chuckled again.

"You look just like her, you know." Stephen commented. "Just like her. The same face, same nose, same hair. Practically everything is the same. Except her eyes were a soft hazel color. They were more round, more wide set." Stephen sighed. "And I took one look at you and even as a baby, you were an exact copy of the woman I... And I just couldn't do it." Stephen admitted quietly.

Guinevere nodded. "Thank you for telling me. I'm sorry I bothered you. Oh, nice outfit by the way." Stephen chuckled again as he looked over his Kamar Taj clothing. He had hoped she wouldn't question it too much. "I'll be on my way then."

"You said you spent all your money getting here?" Stephen asked. Guinevere nodded. He ignored the voice that was screaming no at the back of his mind. "Maybe you could stay the night here, if you'd like." He offered. A part of him was telling him not to. He couldn't be a father. But he ignored this. It was just one night. He could manage one night.

"Thank you." Guinevere said. "That's kind of you."

Stephen shrugged. "I'm your father. It's the least I could do."

A*A*A

Stephen sat in his own room, his head in his hands, his elbows leaning on the desk. He sighed before leaning back in his desk. On his desk were a bunch of birthday cards, none of them ever sent. All were to his daughter Guinevere. He knew he want meant to be a father, but that never stopped him from regretting his decision to send away his daughter.

Stephen picked up one card that was meant for her sixteenth birthday. It was a cheesy card with a cheesy joke inside. The kind Jessie always got him for his birthday. He smiled as he remembered one particularly bad joke she had written in a card for one of his birthdays.

He knew that the reason he and Jessie split up was his fault. Maybe she had been losing her feelings for him, but if she was, it was his own fault. He should've done better. He should've loved her more, cared for her. Maybe he could've shown her how much he loved her and she would've stayed. Maybe he shouldn't have gotten angry when he saw her with that man. It wasn't her fault. Nothing was ever her fault. He meant that in a good way. She was always so nice and honest. Stephen knew that once they split, she probably blamed herself even though it was all his fault.

Stephen never regretted anything more than he regretted the way things went with Jessie. There were so many what if's that could've changed his life forever.

He wanted to make up for that. To make up for the way he treated Jessie. And the only way he could think to do that was by taking in his daughter. He had neglected her for too long. It was time for him to be the father he needed to be.

A*A*A

Guinevere woke up to a knock on her door. She yawned and crawled out of the comfy bed. She raked her hand over her long hair to smooth it down before opening the door. It was Stephen. He was holding a plate full of eggs and bacon and in the other hand was a cup of coffee. "Morning. Thought you might like some breakfast." He held out the food to her hesitantly.

"Thanks." Guinevere said and she took the stuff. "Er, do you want to come in?" She offered awkwardly.

"No. You just eat and get ready. I have something to tell you. I'll be waiting just out here." He said, sitting down on a nearby bench. "Oh right! Here's some clothes for you. I saw that you had no luggage or anything. Thought you'd like some fresh clothes."

"Thanks. I'll be right out." Guinevere said, taking the clothes. She shoved the food in her mouth quickly before jumping in the shower. She ran a comb through her hair and pulled it back into a ponytail as quick as she could so she could see what Stephen wanted. "Alright, I'm ready."

"Walk with me." Stephen said, jerking his head in the direction he wanted to walk. Guinevere did so. The first bit of their walk was silent. In the silence, Guinevere examined her clothing. It was similar to Stephen's, except it was yellow instead of blue. She could see why Stephen wore them. They were really comfy, like pajamas. Stephen broke the silence. "Your mother was the most wonderful woman I've ever known. And I let her down. If you knew what I did Guinevere, you would hate me. I hate myself for it. Which is why I can't tell you now, what I did. But I can tell you this. Not a day has gone by that I don't regret the decisions that I've made. Like leaving her or abandoning you.

"Guinevere... That's such a long name. Do you have a nickname?" Stephen asked. Guinevere shook her head. "Well, then I'll give you one. Let's see... Jenny. That's what Queen Guinevere's nickname was in the stories. That was Jessie's favorite movie, you know. I think that's why she gave you that name."

"Jenny is fine with me." Guinevere or Jenny told him.

"Alright. Jenny... I'll never be a good father. It's just not something that I'll excel at. I have many skills but parenting isn't one of them. But I can promise that I will take care of you and... Love you. So, I guess what I'm trying to say is sorry for being a sucky father and if you'd like, I can offer you a place to stay here. But you don't have to, if you don't want to."

Jenny smiled at her father. "I'd like that."

"Good. Well, yeah." Stephen said and he scratched the back of his neck. He wasn't sure what to do as a father. It was definitely a bit awkward right now. "Good. So, anything you need or..." He trailed off, unsure of himself.

Jenny shook her head. "No, I'm good." They both stood there, shuffling about awkwardly. "So, what's up with this place? Are you a part of some weird cult?" Jenny questioned.

Stephen shook his head. "It's not a cult. I'll show you. Come." He gestured for her to follow him and she did so. Stephen took her to the room where he had first learned of the mystic arts. "You ever read that kid's book about wizards? Harry Potter, or whatever it is."

"Of course. Everyone's read it. Why?" Jenny asked. Stephen knelt down and had her kneel in front of him.

"Do you believe in... Magic?" He questioned lightly.

Jenny snorted. "Oh yeah. I mean, I got my Hogwarts letter but decided not to go." She replied sarcastically.

"Really?" Stephen raised his eyebrows. "So, if I did this," he conjured a weapon for her to see, "you wouldn't be surprised?"

Jenny blinked a few times in shock. She shook her head and began muttering to herself. "No, no, no, no, no." She waved a hand in front of her right through the spell. It disappeared in a shower of gold dust, but disappeared before it could hit the ground. "No. It's not possible." She looked up at Stephen. "What did you give me? LSD? I don't know, some other hallucinogen?" She questioned.

"I haven't given you anything." Stephen said honestly. "I just conjured a shield. If you want to get technical about it, I pulled energy from another dimension and created a shield with this energy."

"OK, right." Jenny chuckled. She got off her knees and stood up. "So, you're insane. I don't know what you gave me, but it'll wear off. I'm out, bye." She said and she started for the doors.

Stephen watched her go with a smile. He too stood up and grabbed her hand before she could leave. He pushed her astral form out of her physical form.

Jenny looked around in shock. She stared at her hands, weirded out by the fact that she looked like a ghost. Before she had time to really absorb just what she was seeing, she was pulled back into her body. "What the h*** was that?" Jenny demanded. "What the h*** did you do to me?"

"I pushed your astral form out of your physical form." Stephen said. He was reminded of the time that he was first introduced to the mystic arts. Only, his role was switched this time and he was the one trying to convince someone that this was real.

"Yeah, right, of course. I should've known." Jenny said sarcastically. "You're crazy. I'm crazy. This isn't real. Magic or mystic arts, whatever you call it, isn't real." Jenny tried to convince herself that she was drugged, which wasn't hard.

"You believe in science." Stephen said. "I do too. This is just science in a more complicated form. It's like a program." Jenny scoffed at him. "I was just like you. I didn't believe. Not until I saw something else. And I'm sorry. I didn't want to have to do this to you. But, you need to believe." Stephen touched a hand to her forehead and Jenny felt herself flying through the air at a thousand miles an hour.

She was over New York City, flying through the clouds around the skyscrapers. She shouted and screamed as she was sent diving down through the road. The scene changed to one of deep space. Several worm like aliens flew around her. They were like the ones that were in New York all those years ago. She screamed as she was sent through the open mouth of one.

Inside the throat of the space worm were a million ants. They crawled all over her, covering every inch of her skin. She lifted up a hand to her eyes and instead of ants, she saw water. Now, she was in a pond and she couldn't breathe. She gasped for breath but none was forthcoming. She tried to swim to the top and it worked. She sucked in a deep breath and coughed violently.

The new scene she saw was one of deep space. The glow around her was deep purple. She was now flying forward through the air towards a purple rock. Or so she thought. The rock rippled and revealed two eyes. The creature made a deep rumbling sound before Jenny was back in the room with her father.

She gasped and breathed heavily before she fell to the ground. She looked up at her father. "How?"

"How? How what?" Stephen asked.

"How did you do that?" Jenny asked. "Teach me how. Please."

"Did you think I would show you and not teach you. I'm not cruel." Stephen said. Jenny looked grateful. "But I think you've had enough for one day. Go. Rest. We'll start tomorrow."

"What? No. Come on. I'm fine. I can start today. Please? I know I can do it." Jenny told him, determined to convince him. She was arrogant and she didn't even think that it would be hard.

"I don't doubt that you could, but I also need rest. It's not exactly easy for me to do all that." Stephen explained. "I swear, we'll start right away tomorrow. But for now, rest. Meditate. Prepare yourself for tomorrow."

"Fine." Jenny sighed. Stephen chuckled at her enthusiasm and they began to walk back to her room. "One question though. What was that thing? That thing at the end. The purple rock with eyes?" Jenny didn't know why, but that thing stood out to her more than anything. When she saw him, she felt a surge of power and she liked it.

"Nothing you need to be concerned about. It's all in the past." Stephen said. For some reason, he found himself not wanting her to know about Dormammu and the Dark Dimension. He didn't want yo scare her away so quickly, when he had just convinced her to stay. He didn't think he would, but he was really liking her so far. She was smart and actually kinda funny.

"Right. Well, goodnight, I guess." Jenny said when they reached her door.

"Goodnight Jenny."

A*A*A (one month later)

Jenny walked with a stack of books to the library. Stephen had gotten her these books and she had finished them all in two weeks. They were fascinating, really. Even better than her fiction books that she was so addicted to.

She entered the library and placed the books on the front desk. No one seemed to be there so she left them there and went to go grab some other books behind the desk. She hummed as she searched for books on astral projection and other books. She fingered the spines on each book and read the title out loud in both English and Sanskrit. She felt it would help her learn the language quicker. It did seem to be working as she was nearing being able to hold a complex conversation in Sanskrit.

"What are you doing?" Wong asked her in mild surprise. He knew Stephen had allowed his daughter a place to stay at Kamar Taj, but he hadn't seen her since that first day. He also wasn't aware that she knew about the mystic arts but he wasn't terribly surprised by that.

"Oh, it's you again. Hey man. I was just getting some new books since no one was here." Jenny went back around the desk and switched places with Wong. "So, I'll need books on astral projection Mr... What's your name?"

"Wong." Wong answered.

"Just Wong?" Wong nodded. "Like Elvis?" Wong couldn't believe he ever doubted that she was Stephen's daughter. It was actually a bit scary. "Not Elvis? OK, maybe Beyonce." Wong kept up his stone like expression. "Never mind. Books on astral projection please."

"You've only been here a month. You can't possibly be ready for that." Wong dismissed.

"Why? Is this hard for other people or something?" Jenny asked sarcastically. Wong didn't answer her. Jenny sighed and drew a portal just behind him and grabbed one of the books she wanted. "I'd like this one please." She dropped the book down on the desk. Then she reached through the portal again and grabbed a different book. "And this one, while we're at it." She closed the portal.

Wong picked up the two books and looked at them skeptically. "You know that you're not supposed to draw portals in the library." He mentioned.

Jenny pretended to look sorry. "Oops. My bad. Please don't tell Stephen. I'm sure he'd have my head on a platter. Now, can I get those books please."

Wong nodded and handed her the books. "You're advancing quickly with your sorcery." He commented.

Jenny smiled. "Yes, I suppose. Not exactly difficult, though." She said before leaving the library. Stephen entered just when she exited. "Stephen." She said with a nod and a smile.

"Jenny." He greeted back and he walked over to Wong. "Hello, Wong." He greeted his old friend.

"Stephen." Wong replied.

"How is she?" He jerked his head back in the direction Jenny went.

Wong chuckled. "At first, I had my doubt's that she was your daughter. Any doubt's I had have vanished like the wind after our little conversation."

"What did she do?" Stephen asked. He liked his daughter, but he also knew that she was rather arrogant like he used to be. Or was. And that could cause problems.

"Called me Beyonce, needed books on astral projection after only a month of being here, drew a portal in the library, got her books and left." Wong said. "She's advancing just as quickly as you did."

Stephen cracked a smile. "Sorry about that. I'll talk to her."

"Because that did so much good when we talked to you." Wong shot back and Stephen chuckled. "Don't worry. I'm not offended. She's just like you."

"I know. That's what I'm worried about." Stephen admitted. "One Stephen Strange was bad enough but two of them?" Stephen shook his head. "Heaven help us all." Wong chuckled. "Was I that bad to teach as well?"

Wong nodded. "Yes. But you turned out just fine. And I'm sure she will too."


	3. Chapter 3

**a/n: So sorry for the wait! Just so you know, in this story, the events of Dr. Strange happen in 2013 with Gwen's betrayal in late 2014 and the events with Loki in 2015 and then everything else takes place as it should. Well, please enjoy! I'm glad I'm back to writing this story! (I don't own Marvel) Hope you recognize the Star Wars parallels if you're a Star Wars fan, btw.**

 **Gwen- Oh No by Marina and the Diamonds (she wants to be the best, it's definetly good for this chapter)**

 **Loki- Troublemaker by Olly Murs (he likes to cause trouble, you know him)**

 **Gwen and Loki- Water Under the Bridge by Adele (those first few lines just scream them to me), How You Remind Me by Nickleback (they remind each other of who they really are, be it good or bad)**

 **And now on to reviews!**

 **Rosalix Archangel- I know, Strange was a complete jerk, but I feel like he makes up for it in the future. I don't think she'll appear in any Avengers movies except the Avengers because she stopped Loki (sort of) in Germany. But I do mention the Avengers and their incidents in this chapter. Sorry for the wait and please enjoy!**

 **PayAttention2569- Sorry to hear you don't like it. It is similar to other stories and believe me, I see many flaws as well, I've just been too lazy to go back and change them. If you only read the first chapter though, I can see why you don't like it. My first chapter isn't exactly super great. Thanks for your advice anyways!**

 **SuperWhoAvengerChanceryLock- I love your new URL, btw. Glad you like it and I loved putting in little references like Beyonce. Please enjoy and sorry for the wait!**

 **Six Months Later...**

Jenny had been at Kamar Taj for just under six months now. In that time, everyone was amazed to see just how quickly she had taken to the mystic arts. She was just like her father. The unbeliever at first, but once they believed, they mastered the skills in just months. They were just born with a gift. A gift for the mystic arts.

Stephen had already been granted the rank of master, as he was master of the New York sanctum. But now, Jenny had reached the point where she could be master.

"But she's so young." One man argued. "No one has ever been granted the rank of master at such a young age."

"She deserves it." Stephen replied. "She's mastered every ritual, except for the ones in the Book of Cagliostro, but we all agreed that was forbidden. I assure you that she is ready."

All the other masters finally conceded. "Alright. But I want to keep a close eye on her." He said.

A*A*A

Jenny was wandering around the grounds, unaware of the conversation that was taking place. She was also reading as she went. Recently, she had found a library outside of Kamar Taj, where she could get fiction books that she was craving. The only problem was, they were all in Nepali, the language of Nepal. She could already hold a basic conversation in French, German and Spanish. Now, she was teaching herself Nepali. It was definitely more difficult than French or German or even Spanish because English was based on those languages. Nepali was completely foreign to her and she was progressing a lot slower than she would've liked to.

At the moment, she was trying to sound out a word. "A... Ala... Alavi..."

"Alavidā." A voice said quietly from in front if her. She glanced up from her book and saw a young boy. He was definitely Nepali, he had that look about him. Not to mention the fact that his accent was flawless.

"Alavidā." Jenny repeated, nearly perfect. The boy nodded.

"Good." He said, his voice still quiet. "You are Stephen Strange's daughter. Right?"

Jenny nodded. "Yes. That's me. Jenny Strange. And you are...?"

"Sajit." Sajit replied. Jenny held out a hand to him and they shook hands.

"How old are you Sajit?" Jenny asked.

"Almost nineteen," Sajit said. Jenny barely caught his voice. Why did he speak so quietly? Jenny herself had been a little shy in school, but never this much. She was too much like her father to have the ability to shut up.

"Me too." Sajit looked at his hands awkwardly and Jenny cleared her throat. "Well, it's been nice meeting you, Sajit. I'm going to go find my father." Sajit nodded and waved at her as she walked away. Jenny thought about this boy she had just met. It's not as if she ever made friends very easily. She was just too d*** sarcastic or sassy. The only real friend she ever had was her brother, Gabe. Oh, there were other girls that would talk politely to her, but they were more acquaintances than friends. Maybe this Sajit character could become a friend.

A*A*A

At the moment, Stephen was the master of the New York sanctum. Jenny thought that some day, he could become Sorcerer Supreme. For now, that position was taken by another. Jenny wandered the New York sanctum, waiting for her father to return from his little meeting.

Jenny loved being in the sanctum. All the different relics and artifacts were so interesting. A long time ago, one had caught her eye. A bright, glowing orange stone. Jenny could tell that it was powerful just by looking at it. She selfishly wanted it for herself. What she could do with the power in that stone, she could be unstoppable. She could've stopped the attack on New York that happened two years ago. She could've stopped the attacks on London and Washington DC that happened just the year after. She could've stopped the attack on Sokovia that happened earlier this year. She could help the Avengers.

She could be more powerful than any of the Avengers. More powerful than Iron Man or Captain America or the Hulk (who was her favorite Avenger) or even those new Avengers. And with their help, the world would never be attacked again. No one would dare mess with them.

"It is beautiful, is it not?" A voice said. Jenny turned to see Wong wandering behind her, his hands behind his back. "Infinity Stones tend to draw people in. They are very dangerous though. Too dangerous for a human to handle. That relic has sat in its case for as long as I can remember. It hasn't claimed anyone."

Jenny touched the case. "One of the most powerful relics in all of creation and it's sitting in a glass case in New York," she shook her head. "Such a waste."

"You mean it would lay waste to whatever it touched," Wong corrected her. "Unless one can truly control its power, it is useless."

"Has anyone tried to use it?" Jenny wondered aloud. It was tempting, so tempting, to use the stone before her.

Wong gave a nod. "Many have tried to wield its immense power, all have failed."

"Then how do you know it has any power?" Jenny asked in disbelief. If no one could wield its so called "immense power", how did they know it had any power in the first place? It didn't make any sense.

"I suppose my previous statement was a lie," Wong admitted. "What I should've said is no one has been able to wield its power for a thousand years. The Ancient One lived longer than that. She saw for herself someone use its power. He died many years ago, because he went mad." Jenny waited for the rest of the story. Wong sighed. "Years ago, there was a man. He himself claimed to be a god, similar to Thor of the Avengers. I don't know if he was a god, but he could wield its power. Maybe it was because of this that he called himself a god. Either way, he was powerful. Possibly even more powerful than the Ancient One herself. But, he became paranoid. He was convinced that everyone was trying to take the power from him. Then, he fell in love. The woman was beautiful and he couldn't resist her charms. It turns out, his paranoia wasn't completely out of place. When he took the woman to himself for his own pleasures, she slit his throat to take the stone for herself. It didn't work for her and she was stopped by the Ancient One. No one since has been able to control it."

Jenny nodded. "Interesting." She stroked the case again. "What could he do with the stone?" She wanted to know exactly what powers it possessed. She wanted to know just how much damage it could do.

"He used it to destroy things. The Ancient One said he turned things to ash, with its power." Wong explained.

"May I?" Jenny gestured to the case. Wong looked hesitant. "Oh, come on, Wong! Please? What's the harm in letting me try? It's not like I'm going to kill anyone. It more than likely won't work for me anyway. It probably only has one true master, anyway and that's why it won't work for anyone. Please, can I just try?"

Wong shook his head at her. "You're just going to keep pestering me until I let you do it, right?" Jenny smiled innocently and nodded. She was bristling with anticipation. "Fine," Wong conceded. "Just this once though."

"Unless it claims me," Jenny sang while she watched Wong take it out of its case.

Wong shot her a look. "I thought you thought it wouldn't claim you?"

Jenny shrugged. "Maybe not. But it's possible it could, right?"

"Maybe," Wong conceded. He picked up the stone and handed it carefully to the young sorcerer. She held out her hand and the stone dropped into her palm.

As soon as it touched her palm, it began to glow. Jenny closed her eyes and took a deep breath. She had been right. Its power was... Behind anything she ever imagined. It was a thrill. With this, she could do anything, stop anyone. She remembered what Wong said the stone could do. Concentrating on the small case that used to hold the stone, she imagined it turning to ash. The stone heated up in her palm and the case was no more. In its place, was a pile of dust.

Wong's eyes widened as the case dissolved to dust. No. How could it be? No one, no one for centuries and yet she could control it. Why? Why her of all people? True, she and her father were the most powerful sorcerers since the Ancient One, but power alone didn't judge, did it? So why her?

Jenny was grinning. Naturally, it was her. The most powerful sorcerer since the Ancient One. Who else, b****es? She made eye contact with Wong, who looked shocked. "Don't look so surprised, Wong. Is it really so shocking?"

"It is," Wong nodded. "No one in thousands of years. Why did it choose you? And why now?" Wong voiced his thoughts. "We should alert your father. And the Sorcerer Supreme. They need to know, right away. Bring the stone."

Jenny did as Wong said, though she didn't see what all the fuss was about. So, she could control the infinity stone. So what? She knew it had been forever since it had been used, but what was so bad about that?

A*A*A

"How is this possible?" the Sorcerer Supreme demanded. "How did you do it?"

Jenny shrugged. "H*** if I know. I just held it and it worked. Why is this such a big deal? All I did was make a stone glow and dissolve something. It's not that big a deal."

"Jenny," Stephen muttered to her. "This is more serious than you realize." He had been just like her. Disrespectful when things were more serious than he took them. He didn't want her to embarrass herself and make the same mistakes.

"Then why won't anyone explain to me what the big deal is about this rock?" Jenny said in frustration. No one told her exactly why this was so serious, all they did was say it was serious.

"Think about it, Jenny," Stephen began. He was the best equipped to deal with her, so the Sorcerer Supreme allowed it. "No one in centuries has been able to control that stone. It choose you though. This is a sign. A sign of something to come. A sign about you. You're different, Jenny. You've mastered the Mystic Arts and now, you have power over this stone."

"I get that, it's still just a rock. Why dies everyone care about it so much?" Jenny asked.

"It's more than a rock," the Sorcerer Supreme sounded quite affronted. "Don't you know what this is?"

"Yes, that's why I'm asking you," Jenny snarked and rolled her eyes. "Obviously I have no idea what this is." Stephen cringed at her tone. Normally, he enjoyed having someone as sarcastic as him around, but even he knew these was a time and a place for such things. And now was definitely not one of those times.

The Sorcerer Supreme shot her a glare. "This stone is one of seven infinity stones, scattered throughout the universe. They are: the mind stone, the soul stone, the power stone, the space stone, the time stone, the reality stone and the life stone. Of these seven stones, five have been to earth. Only three now remain."

"What stones have been to earth? And which ones remain? And which stone is this one?" Jenny blurted out all her questions. She had so many.

"The five that have been to earth are: the time stone, the mind stone, the space stone, the reality stone, and the life stone. Perhaps you remember the portal in New York during the Chitauri invasion? That was the space stone. Do you recall the attack of other worldly being in London? They used the reality stone. Since then, they have been taken off of earth. Now remains the time stone, the mind stone, and the life stone.

"Where are these stones, you ask? Two are here at Kamar Taj. The mind stone resides with the Avengers. With a specific Avenger, to be exact. The one they call the Vision holds it in his head. The time stone sits here, in the Eye of Agamotto. You hold in your hand, the life stone."

Jenny glanced at the orange stone in her hand. It pulsed powerfully. Jenny then thought she knew why it was called the life stone. All that power running through her, that had to mean, "So this life stone, it prolongs my life if I hold it?"

The Sorcerer Supreme shook his head. "Not necessarily. The life stone gives and takes life at your whim. It can provide you with life if you are an inch from dying. It can take away the life of even the strongest man, provided said man has no other infinity stones on him. It takes more than one infinity stone to overpower another." He sucked in a deep breath. "No one else can control this. You have the power to create and take life in the palm of your hand. Now do you see why this is so serious?"

Jenny nodded. Of course she did. This stone had some of the greatest power known to man. The power to be God. No wonder the other man considered himself as such. "But this is a good thing, right? I mean, I can save people with this. I can get rid of people who are dangers to earth."

"Don't you get it, Strange?" The Sorcerer Supreme exploded. "This isn't good. No one should have the power over life. No one! It's not natural," he leaned back in his seat and composed himself. "Humans can create and take life like it's a joke. This power, the power of procreation is not something to be tampered with. We do not tamper with natural law. Humans shouldn't either. They don't understand, the power they have. At any moment, two humans can create life. It's a powerful thing that humans take for granted. Yes, it is their right, but it should not be taken so lightly.

"This stone, it is a danger to our very existence. If you are to hold it, you need to prove yourself to be worthy. Until then, we must keep it safe." The Sorcerer Supreme said. And everyone knew that his decision was final.

A*A*A

"What kind of nonsense is this?" Jenny growled at her father as they walked back to their rooms.

"They've granted you the rank of master, Jenny. It is a liberty not granted to many, and certainly not at your age," Stephen reminded her. He understood his daughter's anger, but he thought she was overreacting a little.

"And yet I was denied what is rightfully mine!" Jenny said loudly. "The stone, it belongs to me. Yet they feel they have the right to take it."

"What makes you think it's yours?" Stephen asked.

"I am the first, the only one in centuries to be able to use it," she ranted furiously. "Of course it is my right! I shouldn't need to prove my worthiness. The fact that it chose me should show my worth alone. This is outrageous and I can't believe that you're going to stand for this-"

Stephen shut her down quickly. "Jenny, you are getting dangerously arrogant. And believe me, I would know. I know because I was in your place and you and I behaved similarly. For your own sake, listen to the Sorcerer Supreme. He is wiser than all of us. Except maybe me," he joked and Jenny allowed herself a smile. "Don't worry kid. Your time will come. In the meantime, focus on something else. Practice your magic, make some friends other than Wong and I. Maybe get yourself a boyfriend. Just no babies, OK? Other than that, just work on being worthy. Soon, they'll see it."

Jenny took a deep breath and attempted to smother her anger. "You're right. Thanks... Dad." This was the first time she had called him dad. She usually referred to him as Stephen. Stephen decided not to make a moment out of it and merely nodded in reply. "I'll do that. Good night, dad. I love you."

That was another first for them. Stephen smiled. They were becoming what they always should've been. What they would've been if he hadn't been so blind. "Love you too, Jenny. Sleep well." She nodded awkwardly and shut the door behind her.

A*A*A

"Would you like to go out for dinner sometime? Maybe tonight?"

Jenny twirled her hair around her finger and smiled at Sajit. This is exactly what Gabe's girlfriends had done when they asked him out. As she herself had no experience in dating, she decided to copy just what they did, even though she thought they were annoying.

"We barely know each other," Sajit mumbled, looking down at the ground. Jenny rolled her eyes. What was this, the twenties?

"That's why we go out to dinner. To get to know each other," Jenny insisted. Sajit still hesitated, so she decided to guilt trip him. "I mean, if you don't want to go out with me, I get it. No one else ever wanted to either..." she trailed off and gave a fake sniff. It was a cruel trick and it wasn't even true (guys had asked her out, she just said no because they were idiots) but she didn't care. She just wanted to do what her father asked of her. It wasn't as if he was horrible looking, either. He wasn't drop dead gorgeous (a/n: like someone we know ;) ) but he wasn't ugly either. He had dark brown hair and dusty colored skin. His eyes matched his hair. He was about two inches taller than her five foot five inches, so not incredibly tall and a bit pudgy, but no more pudgy than she herself was.

Sajit considered this. "Alright. Let me go ask your dad," he said. Jenny rolled her eyes again. Seriously, what time was this guy from? Maybe it was just a Nepali thing.

"You know you don't have to ask him. He won't care. And besides, it's not like he controls me or anything," Jenny reminded the boy.

"Yes, but it is a sign of respect to ask the father first for permission to court his daughter." Sajit explained.

"OK, no offense or anything, but this is not a courtship. This is a date. We are just getting g to know each other. We're definitely not planning our wedding any time soon. OK?" Jenny made sure to clear that up. She was not ready to be in a fully committed relationship like that. The more Sajit spoke, the more she was convinced that he had been frozen in the ninteen hundreds and thawed out, just like Captain America.

"Yes, of course. I'll go ask Dr. Strange now," Sajit said and he walked off.

Jenny pulled out her phone while she waited for him to return. She scrolled through her Facebook and her Tumblr. Tumblr was an alright page. Occasionally, she would run across something that would make her blush because while she put up a face that said nothing bothered her, she was often made uncomfortable by the bluntness of some people. Maybe she had been frozen and thawed out.

There wasn't much that was interesting on either page. The occasional fandom reference that made her laugh. Well, not laugh necessarily. Mostly just breathe sharply through her nose and smile. She hardly ever laughed out loud at anything on the internet.

Sajit returned moments later, looking shaken. Jenny rolled her eyes. "What did he say?"

"H-he said to treat his daughter with the u-utmost respect or he would e-end me," Sajit squeaked out.

"Of course he did. Please ignore my father and treat me however you wish. I can handle myself. So, tonight at eight?" Jenny asked, back to her flirtatious self.

Sajit nodded absently. "Right, yes of course. Tonight at eight. I'll be there."

A*A*A

Jenny smoothed out her dress in front of the mirror. She was wearing a flimsy black dress that ended just above her knees. Since the sleeves were almost nonexistent, she wore her black leather jacket over it. Her hair was pulled up in a tight bun and she even had a little bit of makeup on, which she didn't wear all that often because she hated how it felt and the fact that it limited her ability to rub her eyes when she was tired or her eye itched.

There was a few knocks on her door. It was only 7:45 though. Why would he be so early? She went to go answer the door and saw that it was her father and not Sajit. "Can I come in?" Stephen asked. Jenny opened the door wider in reply. Stephen entered and sat on her bed. "You look just like your mother, you know," he blurted out. "Just like her. Except her eyes weren't blue, like yours. But other than that, it's like looking at a human clone or something. What I'm trying to say is, you look very nice. And I'm glad that you're getting friends, Jenny."

"Thank you, " Jenny murmured with a light blush on her cheek. She was complimented often enough, but it was different when it came from her father. When she saw him on TV that one day, she knew that all she wanted was for him to be her father, not her adoptive father. She just felt a connection with him whenever she saw him. More than anything though, she wanted to be able to impress him. That's why she worked her butt off to graduate high school early and going to college by taking a ton of dual credit classes at the same time, not to mention all the summer school she did. While she was kind of smart, she wasn't nearly as smart as her father. She just worked her butt off to be able to impress him, if she ever met him. And then, what-do-you-know? he turned out to be her real father. The man she had admired for years was truly related to her.

"If this Sajit kid does anything to hurt you in anyway, you tell me and I'll take care of him," Stephen told her.

"While I appreciate the sentiment, I think I can do my own a**-whopping for myself, thanks," Jenny said with a smile and Stephen laughed. "Do you think that this will help me become worthy?"

Stephen groaned. "Jenny, please tell me you didn't ask him out just because you think it will help you get the stone."

"What? It's what you said to do! I need to get the stone back somehow," Jenny protested his groan.

"I said that for your own benefit, Jenny, not so you could get your stone back," Stephen said. "I want you to live a normal life, Jen, not be completely absorbed by this place and by your work."

"Why not? You did, and you're so successful and you have Christine," Jenny retorted.

"But I didn't have you or your mother," Stephen said. Jenny was silent when she heard the amount of regret in his voice. "After your mother and I graduated college, I became completely absorbed by my work. I denied your mother marriage because I felt it would hurt my job. I told her no kids because it would hurt my job. I spent almost every hour at my job and I thought I could make it up with all my money or with spending every night with her, you probably didn't need to know that, anyway. I was wrong. Now your mothers dead and I'll never get that time back. I'll never get back the chance o had to take you because I was scared. I don't want that for you, Jenny. I want you to be able to balance your work and your life and not have one overtake the other. You need to fund a balance. Promise me you'll do that." Stephen demanded.

Jenny nodded after several moments of contemplation. "OK. What if you don't like him though?"

"I don't care who he is, as long as he loves you and doesn't hurt you and you're happy," Stephen told her.

"So if I happen to marry a drug lord here in Nepal..." Jenny joked.

"Just don't tell me that detail. The less I know the better," Stephen said and Jenny chuckled.

"I'll make you proud of me dad. I promise you that," Jenny said firmly and fiercely. Stephen held out his arms hesitantly and the father and daughter embraced. They weren't the most affectionate pair so moments like these were cherished by both.

Another knock interrupted their moment. "That's him," Stephen said and he stood up to answer the door. "Remember my warning," Stephen said in a deep voice to Sajit. He merely squeaked in reply and nodded.

Jenny rolled her eyes. "Ignore my father, he's an idiot." She took Sajit's arm and started to pull him away.

"Use protection!" Stephen called put to them jokingly.

"You're disgusting!" Jenny shouted back and Stephen chuckled before shutting the door. "Like I said, ignore him. He just likes to joke."

"You look very nice this evening," was Sajit's only reply to her.

"Thank you," Jenny accepted his compliment. They were practically silent the rest of the date. Or at least, he was. Jenny spoke up whenever she felt things were getting too quiet. It worked out nicely since she liked to talk and he didn't. When he dropped her off that evening, Jenny felt that this whole friendship thing just might work.

A*A*A

"It has awakened," the deep voice of Dormammu rumbled to his zealots. "The stone you found. It has reawakened after all these years."

"Who, my lord?" one zealot asked. "Who could possibly have the same amount of power as Thomas did?"

"My most faithful zealot," Dormammu mused. "A shame he fell for the Ancient One. He truly could've brought my reign down upon the whole of earth and any other dimension."

"Strange," Kaecilius said. The others all turned to him. "I saw him last year. I fought him. He had only been there for a few months and yet, he was almost as powerful as some who had been at Kamar Taj for years. He had the potential. Perhaps over the year we've waited, he has gotten strong enough to claim the stone. It must be him," Kaecilius reasoned.

"You truly believe this?" Dormammu questioned. Kaecilius nodded eagerly. "Then we must convince him to join us. You must go back to earth and watch him. Wait for the time to be right. Then, we will have him join us and we will crush Kamar Taj and the world will bow before us. Do not fail me again. If you do, nothing will be able to save you from my wrath."

Kaecilius nodded. "Of course, my lord. When do you want me to leave?"


	4. Chapter 4

**a/n: Sorry for the wait! I've been writing another story with a friend as an editor/author. It's called, Mirror Light the Protector, if you want to check it out. Please enjoy! (I don't own Marvel)**

 **Rosalix Archangel- Thank you for your review! You're so right, she is a bit like Loki in the beginning. I didn't really do that on purpose. Actually, I was kinda comparing her to Anakin from Star Wars because I'm such a huge Star Wars nerd. But when you mentioned that, I could see it. Anyways, please enjoy!**

 **Two Months Later...**

Jenny Strange was angry. No, she was more than angry. She was pissed off.

For two full months she had done nothing but what her father suggested. Nothing. She had found a few more friends, gotten herself a boyfriend, worked even harder on her magic. All to prove that she was worthy of the stone. It was ridiculous. The stone was hers, why should she have to prove her worthiness?

Even after all she had done, the Sorcerer Supreme and his councilors had still denied her the stone. "You have not truly proven yourself worthy. Power is not a measure of worth. Nor is false kindness," the Sorcerer Supreme had told her harshly.

It made her furious. False kindness? Maybe it had been a but forced, but she kind of maybe tolerated the ones she called friends. And how was her power not a measure of her worth? That was the reason the stone had chosen her, there was no doubt about that in her mind.

"They can't do this to me!" Jenny shouted at her father as she paced her room. "It's mine, you know it is! They can't keep from me what is rightfully mine."

"They can do this and they will," Stephen said fiercely. "They are wiser than all of us and we should listen to them. This is getting out of hand, Jenny. It's just a stone. You are perfectly fine without it. Why are you so desperate to have it?"

"BECAUSE IT'S MINE!" she roared. Stephen only blinked in the face of her anger. "It is my right. I am the rightful holder of the stone, I should be. The only one to be able to use it in centuries. It's mine. I deserve it. I deserve to have the power. Don't you see? The Sorcerer Supreme thinks it's dangerous, but it's not. I would use it for good. I could save the world. No one would ever attack the earth again."

"I understand you have good intentions," Stephen began slowly, "but your anger is exactly why they are keeping it from you. If you overreact in the slightest, so many things could go wrong. Just calm down."

Jenny felt another twinge of annoyance, but she pushed that back. "Whatever. I'm going for a walk. I need to clear my head." She pulled on her jacket and grabbed a pair of shoes.

"It's late. Very late. You know how dangerous the streets are at night-" Stephen began to say but Jenny was not paying him any attention.

"I'll be fine. And I'll be back soon," Jenny said before she walked out into the night.

She stormed down the streets of Kathmandu. They were not quite as empty as one would expect. In fact, there was still quite a crowd gathered at random buildings. Jenny knew what they were. Brothels and casinos and drug dens and the like. She covered her head with her hood and walked past them. There were a few cat calls, but no one attempted to grab her or stop her.

As she walked, she expected her anger to dissipate, but it didn't. If anything, it grew out of control. How could they keep it from her? It was her right, her purpose. It was all she wanted and continually was denied it. She didn't need to prove her worth. In fact, why should she play their game? She could take the stone for herself. She didn't even need to wait. There was no way they could stop her. She knew she could do it.

She began to plan, but her deep thoughts were interrupted by a strange voice.

"Guinevere Strange?" A voice called out to her. Jenny turned to the sound. Out of the shadows stepped a man in yellow robes. He had gray hair that was pulled back into a ponytail. He also had weird eye makeup. Blue and purple surrounded his eyes.

Jenny gave the stranger a tight smile. "That's me. Can I help you?"

"Guinevere my name is Kaecillius. I used to live at Kamar Taj. I've come to warn you and offer you a job, if you'll take it." Kaecillius said.

Jenny frowned. "Warn me? About what?" She asked in a puzzled tone.

"About Kamar Taj. They're all liars. They keep knowledge from you that others give freely." Kaecillius told her solemnly. "Have you ever wondered why the last Sorcerer Supreme lived so long?"

Jenny remembered her father had told her that the last Sorcerer Supreme had lived for at least a thousand years. "Well, yes. But they said those practices were forbidden. That they were dangerous."

Kaecillius chuckled. "Of course they did. Because the Sorcerer Supreme hides knowledge from his followers. They keep the secret of eternal life to themselves. Your own father, would watch you die while he lives forever."

Jenny shook her head. "No. He wouldn't do that." She could hardly believe her own father would do that to her. Maybe they did disagree about the infinity stone, but he wouldn't watch her die while he lived forever.

"Wouldn't he?" Kaecillius shot back. "All his life, has he ever shown any sign that he cared for you? He abandoned you to live with another family. He has hidden the full knowledge of Kamar Taj. In all the time you've been with him, has he ever mentioned my name?"

"Why should he?" Jenny retorted.

"We knew each other. I tried to help him, but he refused to listen." Kaecillius said. "Its too late for him. But not for you. What the Sorcerer Supreme keeps to himself, Dormamu offers freely. Dormamu has seen your immense power. He needs you by his side. Come with me, and you'll have eternal life. Would you like to live forever, Guinevere?"

Jenny's head spun at that thought. Eternal life? That would be amazing. A long life in which she could do whatever she wanted. She also felt her head spin at the mention of her immense power. She tried to be humble, but it was hard when you happened to be a Master after only one year at Kamar Taj, and the youngest one there was. Not to mention, her infinity stone. "Come. I can show you what real power is. You'll never have to hide your true powers again." Jenny hesitated. Her father was in the back of her thoughts. Kaecillius scoffed. "Do you hesitate because of him?" He read her mind. "He has done nothing for you. In all the time you've known him, has he ever mentioned Dormamu? Or the dark dimension?" Jenny gave a small shake of her head, suddenly angry at her father for lying to her. "Come with me and you'll never be lied to again." Jenny followed the man through a portal.

What she saw on the other side amazed and shocked her. She had seen this place before. It was one of the very first things she had been shown at Kamar Taj. Her father had refused to tell her what it was. Now she saw that is was not a thing but a being. A living breathing thing. What was it Kaecillius had called him?

"This is the Strange you spoke of?" Dormammu asked Kaecillius in his deep and rumbling voice. Jenny merely stared at him in awe. This being, this Dormammu, he was just so powerful. Not quite as powerful as the stone, but still powerful. Kaecillius had been right. He could give her what she wanted. There was no doubt about it.

"Not exactly my lord. This is his daughter, Guinevere Strange. She is the one with the power to control the stone," Kaecillius explained.

"The one with the power over life and death," Dormammu mused. "Strange, did you know that you are the only one since Thomas to be able to control this power?"

Jenny found her mouth was dry. She swallowed hard and said, "I did not know the man's name was Thomas, but I knew I was the first in centuries," she paused, "my lord," she added as an afterthought.

"Did they tell you the tale of Thomas and the true power of the stone?" Dormammu asked her. Jenny shook her head. "Thomas was my most loyal and most powerful zealot. I sent him to earth to gather more followers and to find one of these infinity stones. He did as I said at first. He gathered a few zealots and found the life stone. Then, he made the mistake of falling in love with the Ancient One herself. The Ancient One was greedy. She knew he had the life stone, so she slaughtered him where he lie, in order to take the power for herself. When she found that she could not wield the power for herself, she hid it from everyone else, keeping it selfishly to herself.

"Why has it chose you, you may wonder? How does the stone judge who is able to wield it? The stone is a curious one. It is the only one of the seven infinity stones that is able to choose who wields it. It chooses based on power and desire. Whoever has the greatest desire to hold it and whoever is the most powerful one it finds can wield it. Once it chooses its master, it will not switch masters, nor will it ever stop working for its master until they die. The stone chose you because of this. Kamar Taj would have you think that you need to be worthy to possess such a power. They are liars. You are worthy enough through your power and desire."

Jenny nodded quickly. Of course it had chose her. She had always believed that was why, even if the others denied it. They were just jealous of her power and maybe even a little afraid. In the back of her mind, she felt a little hurt. How could her father keep this from her? She trusted him and all he did was lie to her. Her hurt transformed to anger in an instant. He kept this from her. She would bring them down. All of them. They would learn not to mess with her ever again.

"Do you know why I have called you here, Strange?" Dormammu asked her, interrupting her thoughts. Jenny merely shook her head in reply, keeping her face and stare hard. "I want to share with you the gift of eternal life. I will give it to you, but I require something in return. I want to share my gift with all the dimensions and worlds, but Kamar Taj and all of them there forbid it. I need you to take them down. Will you do it? Will you join my zealots and bring about world peace and eternal life?"

There was no hesitation left. Jenny nodded and kneeled before Dormammu. "I will do whatever you require of me, my lord."

"It is done then," Dormammu said. The other zealots that were there began chanting. Jenny caught along quickly and joined them in their chanting. As she did so, the same thing that surrounded Kaecillius's eyes began to surround her own eyes. "You now draw power from the Dark Dimension. You are now one of us."

A*A*A

Jenny had never felt so much power in her whole life. All that magic from the Dark Dimension, it was the true power in this world. The only way she could go. Dormammu was the only one she could follow. She had been ridiculous to even think she could follow anyone else. The thought of that made her sick now. How could she possibly follow someone as weak and as manipulative as the Sorcerer Supreme? Or her father? They were fools, as she always known they had been.

Dormammu had ordered her to spy at Kamar Taj for a while and report back to him. When the time was right, she would steal the stone for herself and together, they would achieve world peace. It was like in Harry Potter. She finally understood Grindelwald. He would always say, for the greater good. Now she knew what he meant. This was the greater good. Eternal life for all and world peace were certainly the greater good. Grindelwald believed his purpose was the greater good, so his means of achieving the greater good were fine. Jenny felt the same way. If Kamar Taj had to fall so the rest of the world would be at peace, then it was justified.

The only bit of guilt she felt was for her father. Over the small amount of time she had spent with him, she had truly grown to care for him. She loved him and he said he loved her. Could she really betray him? Of course she could, she dismissed herself. She would explain it to him. Once he understood just what this was, why this was necessary, he would join them and in a second. Together, they could achieve world peace, have ultimate power. Maybe they could even be rid of Dormammu's rule and it could just be them. Father and daughter, ruling the world in perfect harmony. Like Star Wars.

Her deep thoughts were interrupted by none other than the man himself. Her father. "Are you alright now, Jenny?" Stephen asked his daughter, brushing her shoulder with his hand in a tender gesture.

Jenny did her best not to look angry. "Fine now. You were right. I don't need it. It belongs to the whole world, not just me. I'll be fine now. I'm pretty tired though. I'm going to go to bed," she gave a false yawn. She couldn't possibly be tired now. She knew too much and she had a mission to accomplish.

"Of course. You've had a long day. Rest." Stephen said. He pulled his daughter into a quick embrace which he noticed, she only barely returned. "Good night. I love you."

"I love you too," Jenny said with as little hostility as she could manage. "Good night." She opened her door and shut it behind her. She took out her anger on the wall by taking one of her fencing swords that she kept in her room and throwing it at the wall. It lodged in the seam neatly, making her look a lot better than she was. She stormed over to it, yanked it out, and tossed it neatly back into the bucket of swords she had. Most people called it weird that she kept random swords lying about in her room. She called it a precaution. You never know when you'll need a weapon.

The night brought no rest for Jenny. She stay up all night, dividing plans. She needed to find a way into the meetings of the Sorcerer Supreme and his councilors. Perhaps since she was a master, she would be allowed on the council. Most masters were. She would ask her father. In the meantime, she needed to find a way to break into the New York sanctum to steal back her infinity stone.

A*A*A

Jenny wandered the halls of Kamar Taj with Sajit and she was itching. Itching to tell someone, anyone about what she had learned. To tell someone about Dormammu. But she couldn't tell just anyone. It had to be someone she could trust. During the two months she had been sating Sajit, she came to trust him above anyone except her father. It wasn't like she could tell her father though, because he would put a stop to her immediately. That couldn't happen. Maybe she could defeat her father, but it wasn't a risk she wanted to take.

"Sajit?" she began. Sajit hummed quietly in reply. While he had become somewhat comfortable around her, he was still his old quiet self. He didn't talk much, but Jenny talked plenty for the both of them, so it worked out. "I need to tell you something."

"What is it?" the boy asked. Even though the two were dating, they weren't necessarily in love. They were more really close friends. Friends with benefits. Except the benefits were not the benefits most think of when they hear that phrase.

"Something amazing has happened," Jenny began. Sajit waited patiently for her to continue. A part of her was screaming. She shouldn't be saying these things. Dormammu would not approve. But she couldn't hold it in any longer. She just had to tell someone. "I've found a way to bring peace to the whole world. A way for everyone to have eternal life."

Sajit thought this sounded familiar. His father had been the librarian before Wong, so he had been here a while. All of what Jenny was saying sounded like something Kaecillius would say. "What do you mean?"

"I mean, we can all live forever. The whole world. And there will be peace, so long as everyone cooperates." Jenny said excitedly. "The Sorcerer Supreme keeps the secret of eternal life to himself, but I could bring it to the whole world. I could stop attacks like the ones the Avengers did. I know a way to make all this possible."

Sajit denied internally that this could be what he thought it was. After all, he had been banished by Dr. Strange himself a year ago. There was no way he would dare to return. "How?" he asked warily.

"I've met someone. Someone powerful enough to accomplish this. He gives eternal life out freely. He's already given it to me. What the Sorcerer Supreme keeps for himself, he gives freely." Jenny sucked in a deep breath. "His name is Dormammu. He's taught me so much in such a short amount of time. He gave me new life, eternal life, ancient knowledge, and a purpose. To get the infinity stone that belongs to me. Once I have it, we can overthrow the Sorcerer Supreme and bring about world peace. Peace in our time. Don't you see how perfect this is?" The girl's eyes lit up with excitement.

Sajit shook his head. He couldn't believe she had been manipulated so easily. "Jenny, Dormammu is evil. He's killed many. He killed your own father multiple times on a time loop. You can't trust a word he says."

"He only killed to bring about peace," Jenny insisted. "Don't you see, Sajit? If no one fought, there would be no death. And the world would be at peace."

"Under the rule of an oppressive dictator," Sajit retorted. "He's pure evil, Jenny. He's the reason my own father is dead."

"Fine, he's evil. That's not the point. All we need is his help to overthrow the Sorcerer Supreme," Jenny insisted. "Once he's no longer of use, we can get rid of him. I'm more powerful then Dormammu, I can kill and overthrow him. Then, we can gave true peace."

"You're confusing peace with oppression," Sajit said. He knew he needed to let someone know. Dr. Strange. He would put a stop to this. "You know what you don't see, Jenny? You don't see how easily manipulated you are. Dormammu is using you for your power. He doesn't care about you. But you know who does? Your father. And I do. You're my best friend Jenny. I can't let you be manipulated like this."

Jenny thought that Sajit would see just why they needed this, but she was wrong. Her lips turned up in a cold smirk. "What are you going to do? Run and tell my father?"

"I have to. Come with me now. We can tell him together. We can help you come back. Please come with me," Sajit begged. He held out a hand to her, an offering of peace.

Jenny only snorted at his offering. "What for? So they can tell me more lies? So they can continue to keep all the real power for themselves? So they can keep from me what is rightfully mine? No. You're wrong, Sajit. I'm not the one who's being manipulated. You are. I'm done being manipulated. I'm done letting myself be held back by the Sorcerer Supreme. I'm done with Kamar Taj. Dormammu is right. They're wrong."

Sajit shook his head at her. "I don't know who you are, anymore. I'm leaving. Good bye, Jenny."

Jenny did nothing to stop him. She only watched him turn his back on her and leave. The one person she had truly trusted and he had betrayed her.

A*A*A

Stephen was sending an emailing to Christine when there was a knock on his door. Apparently Christine had been the one to give his daughter directions to Kamar Taj. He owed a lot to Christine.

Sighing, Stephen stood up to answer his door. It wasn't Wong like he thought it might be, nor was it Jenny. In fact, it was the last person he had expected to see. Jenny's friend Sajit. "Hi." Stephen said. He really didn't mind Sajit, but he decided to play the intimidating father role, just to be funny.

"Dr. Strange," Sajit sounded out of breath. "I need to speak with you urgently." He stepped into Stephen's room and shut the door behind, without bothering to ask for permission.

"What is it?" Stephen was wary of the boy's tone. What could have possibly gotten him so worked up. If Jenny was pregnant, he swore...

"It is Jenny sir," Sajit said breathlessly. Stephen felt his worries were confirmed.

"How far along is she?" he asked through a deep sigh.

"What?" Sajit was confused. Them, he realized what he was saying. "No, no. It's not that. Dr. Strange, Jenny has met Dormammu. He's manipulated her over to his side."

Stephen watched the boy carefully. He played his role convincingly, no doubt. He might've been convinced almost. But it was just a joke. Jenny probably put him up to it. He let out a laugh to show his amusement, though he was uneasy deep down. "Yes, this is hilarious. Did Jenny put you up to this? You can come out now, Jenny. Really funny." But deep down, his uneasiness grew. Jenny didn't know about Dormammu.

"This isn't a joke, Dr. Strange," Sajit said gravely. "She just told me that she's met Dormammu. He's confusing her. Making her think that he can bring peace and eternal life to the whole world. She wants to overthrow the Sorcerer Supreme. She's gone mad. You need to stop her."

Stephen sat down on his bed. How? How could he have been so stupid as to miss this? Now that he thought about it, the signs had been there for so long. All that ambition. He just thought that it had been like him, just wanting to be the best. Now he saw that it was more than that. It was a list for power. He should've seen it the minute she was so concerned about not getting the infinity stone. It was staring him right in the face and he had been too blind to see it.

"Are you listening to me? You have to go after her." Sajit said loudly, breaking Stephen out of his thoughts.

"Yes," Stephen said quietly. He stood up, grabbed the cloak of levitation, threw it over his shoulders and walked out the door without a word to Sajit. He had to confront his daughter now

But he had no idea if he could do it.

A*A*A

Jenny had headed right for the New York sanctum after her conversation with Sajit. She had been stupid. She shouldn't have told anyone, just as Dormammu had instructed her. But she had slipped up. She had a moment of weakness. Now, she had to make up for it.

She found her glowing stone in the dark very easily. It seemed to brighten whenever she was near. Like it was itching to be used and put in action. She conjured a weapon and slammed it into its case. The glass case shattered and she made her weapon disappear. She grabbed the stone and smiled. It was hers. Hers officially.

"Master Strange!" A voice called out. Jenny turned to see the Sorcerer Supreme. "You should not be here. Put it back, now."

"And why should I?" Jenny asked calmly. She was not afraid of him. She was not afraid of being caught. She would destroy him with a flick of her wrist.

"It does not belong to you, no matter how much you may think it does," the Sorcerer Supreme said. "You have not proven yourself worthy in the council's eyes. So I would put it back if I were you. Do you want me to fetch your father?"

That made her snap. "Don't you speak down to me like I'm a child! I'm an adult who is capable of knowing her own mind. I know that all you do is lie and keep secrets from everyone here. I look past you and your pathetic council. I look to power, power you are too afraid to have so you banish it. I will bring that power back. I will bring peace, knowledge and freedom to the world, which will become Dormammu's world."

"You've gone mad," the Sorcerer Supreme said with a shake of his head. He took a step forward. "You will never win." He gave a snap of his fingers and every single member of his council, including her father, appeared before her.

Jenny avoided her father's gaze, even when he called out her name. Her only response was to smirk. "It's good to see all of you. Truly, it is. I feel privileged. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to go bring about world peace," with that, her stone began to glow.

The others had no idea what to do. They did nothing to stop her, nor to save themselves. There was nothing they could do if they wanted to. Jenny concentrated on each of them, except her father. She couldn't bring herself to destroy him. No matter how much, she claimed to hate him for what he had done, she still loved him deep down.

All present but the two Strange's began to scream. They began to glow as orange as the stone and it seemed as if they would burn. They didn't stop screaming until they had dissolved completely. She had disintegrated ten people at once.

Stephen looked at his daughter in horror. "Jenny, what have you done?"

Jenny stumbled. She felt weak and tired. All that power came with a cost. It had drained her of just about all her energy. She stumbled again and caught herself on the nearby wooden stand. Stephen, forgetting that his daughter was a danger, ran to her side to help her up. Jenny kept her smirk hidden. The fool. She needed his help only for a moment before she could escape to Dormammu. "Are you alright?" Stephen asked, still forgetting what she had done.

"I'm... I'm fine." Jenny faked a weak voice. "You... You were right. He's manipulating me."

"It's OK. I'll help you. What do you need?" Stephen asked her softly.

"I... I need..." Jenny felt her strength start to come back. Just enough that she could walk. "To have my gullible father let me go." Stephen dropped her arm in surprise. Jenny smiled and she shoved her father across the room and into a wall. He was saved by ceasing into it by his cloak. By the time he recovered, Jenny had disappeared.

A*A*A

"Love is a weakness," Dormammu said to Jenny as she lay before him. Her strength had returned in her moment of adrenaline, but now it was fine again and all she could do was lie down and try not to sleep.

Dormammu was trying to keep in his anger. If he became angry with Strange now, it would push her away. He knew he needed to remain calm. "Thomas had the same thing happen to him. Your power and ambition is weakened by your love for your father. You need to let go of all emotion. Then, and only then, can you truly control the stone to its full potential."

Jenny nodded as she forced herself to stay awake. She knew that Dormammu was right, but it was too hard. She hated herself for it, but she loved her father too much to let him go. To be able to kill him in cold blood.

"It will be hard, I know for you it will. But once you do, you will have unlimited power." Dormammu stared at the young girl, his voice became louder and more powerful. "Your father will try to convince you that I am using you. That love is more powerful than this stone. But he is wrong. You cannot let yourself fall into his trap." Jenny nodded again. "Good. Rest. Recover your strength. Tomorrow, when you awaken, you will destroy your father and we will take over the world, bringing peace and eternal life to all."

As Jenny allowed herself to lose consciousness, she had only one thought. _I can't kill Stephen Strange._


	5. Chapter 5

**a/n: So sorry for the long wait. I wanted to space out the updating between last chapter and Infinity War, so there wasn't as much a wait for Infinity War. Speaking if Infinity War, I'm freaking out! I'm like 99.9% certain they will kill off Steve and Loki and I am not ready for it, not at all. I'm going to freak out if either if them dies. If they do die, I'm not sure if I'll put that in the story because I don't think I can kill him off again for Gwen. It'll just be too painful.**

 **Anyways, so this time, it will be the last chapter till I go and see Infinity War. If you want, you can go and read my other Avengers stories. I have a different Loki/OC story, a Steve/OC story and a Peter/OC story. It's kind of weird that I have so many romance stories when I am disgusted by the thought of being with someone myself. Maybe I'm just weird. Anyways, if you do go check them out, feel free to review telling me how I'm doing.**

 **IMPORTANT! PLEAE READ! I'm going to be trying to put these prequel chapters at the beginning of the story and get rid if my little prologue. So, if you're confused as to why the chapters are all switched around, that's why.**

 **Sorry for the long author's note. Until Infinity War then. Please enjoy! (I don't own Marvel)**

 **Rosalix Archangel- So glad you're liking it! I really forgot about the similarities between Gwen and Loki until you pointed it out because I kept comparing it to Revenge of the Sigh where Gwen is Anakin and Sajit is Padme and Stephen is Obi Wan, but I guess that's because I'm such a huge nerd. Also, hope your as excited for Infinity War as I am, and if you read my author's note, then you would know. Please enjoy this chapter and thank you for your continued reviews! They always make my day.**

Jenny had been successful in her attempt at sneaking into the New York sanctum. She had planned this out carefully. Dormammu had instructed her to defeat her father, so defeat him is what she would do. But she knew that she could not kill him, nor let him be killed. No matter how many times she tried to let go of her feelings, no matter how many times Dormammu told her love was a weakness, she could not let it go. Stephen Strange would not die tonight.

Now, however, she sat in a chair, her legs crossed, a forced smile plastered on her face. Stephen would be here soon. She had made her break in obvious enough. She also knew that because she killed everyone else, her father was now the Sorcerer Supreme. The thought intimidated her a little. But she had little doubt in her mind that she could defeat her father.

As suspected, Stephen showed up only moments after her break in. He slowed his steps when he saw her, his expression hardening. "Hello, father," Jenny said in a fancy tone. "Fancy meeting you here. I was wondering when you would show up."

"We can still resolve this, Jenny," Stephen said, still taking slow steps up to her. "You can walk away from this. I can protect you."

Jenny gave an angry sort of smile. "I don't need protection. What I want is eternal life. Something that you refused to give to me. Something you would keep to yourself, while I died." Her smile had disappeared and had been replaced with a hard, cold glare. Stephen had never seen a look like that on her face, not on Jessie's. It didn't fit either of them.

"Dormammu is lying to you," Stephen said. He couldn't give up on her. He had already done that when she was a baby. He was determined not to make the same mistake again. "You must know that. There is no way I would've done that to you. I won't deny that I've kept secrets, but I could say the sane for you. But I promise you that I wouldn't let you die while I lived forever."

Guinevere stood up and drew up her weapon. "See, the thing is, Stephen, that I'm not as gullible as I was when you met me a year ago. I'm not stupid, even if you want me to be. So, you'll forgive me for not believing you." Then, she had a flash of anger pass through her eyes. "All I wanted was for you to teach me all you knew, and you couldn't even do that. You held me back."

"This is crazy, Jenny," Stephen said, refusing to draw a weapon until it was absolutely necessary. "You know this is crazy. I don't want to fight you and you can't fight me."

This time, she let out a laugh. "I, however, know that I can fight you. And I will." She leaped in the air and brought her weapon down at her father.

Stephen dodged the blow and finally drew up a weapon. He blocked her next blow with said weapon and used all his strength to push her off. That was an advantage Stephen had. He was a grown man and he was stronger than a teenage girl. Stephen made an offensive move and he used a shield to try and knock her out.

It didn't work however, because she held up her weapon to keep the blow at bay. It worked for a little bit, but she just wasn't strong enough. So she fell to the floor, making Stephen stumble. She rolled to the side and stabbed at his leg. His cry of pain made her heart twinge momentarily before she quickly blocked it out. She couldn't afford to be distracted right now. She yanked out her weapon, which now had blood on it. She dissolved that weapon and conjured a new one. A bright yellow one, that looked like a fan of sorts.

They slashed back and forth for quite a while. Their fight moved into the area where the relics were kept. Glass smashed as they swung their weapons and stumbled through cases. Stephen had the upper hand now as he had the high ground.** Not for long however, because Jenny swept her leg across the broken glass to sweep his feet out from underneath him. The movement hurt a lot and she hissed in pain as she stood up. There was no time to heal it, though, and she had to fight with her heavily bleeding leg.

Stephen was pulled to his feet by his cloak. He swung his weapon at Jenny and it caught her across the face. He hadn't been aiming for her face, and both of them lowered their weapons in shock, for no reason. "I... Jenny, I'm so sorry," Stephen muttered as she reached a hand up to her cheek. It too was bleeding heavily. However, she used her father's sympathy to her advantage. She pretended to look remorseful, which Stephen jumped on. "Jenny," he said, but that was all he got out, for Jenny then stabbed her own weapon into his side. She took care to make sure it wouldn't kill him, only wound him enough so that he couldn't continue on.

Stephen groaned and fell to the ground. Glad with how well her plan had worked, Jenny stepped closer to him, ready to deliver the final blow. Jenny swung her weapon at her father, who was on the ground. "Jenny, stop!" Jenny, to her own surprise and to her father's, stopped. She lowered the weapon. Stephen jumped in before she could change her mind. "Jenny, please. Please come back. Dormammu is using you for your infinity stone. Once you're done here, he'll get rid of you. You know that, I know that. So don't be his pawn."

Jenny shook her head. "No. You lie. Dormamu needs me. You've lied to me my whole life! You didn't share your knowledge with me. You abandoned me to live with strangers. You would let me die while you lived forever," she spat out at him.

"Jenny, please believe me. I would never do that. Dormamu is manipulating you. He's not your friend. I am. I'm your father and I love you. Please. You can still come back." He held out his hand to her. Jenny lifted her hand to his. She could feel the love she had felt for him before. Before Dormammu and the truth he gave her. She remembered Dormammu's warning at the last second. He said her father would try to bring her back by saying he loved her. She remembered him telling her that love was a weakness. She dropped her hand with a scowl. And though she tried to forget it, she could still feel the love she felt for him.

"No. Dormamu has chosen me. It's too late." And she brought her weapon down, jerking it at the last second so it wasn't fatal. Stephen collapsed to the ground in unconsciousness. Breathing heavily, she dissolved her weapon and sat herself down next to her father. Kaecilius would be here soon. Dormammu had insisted that she try to take care of it first, to prove her loyalty to him. If she didn't succeed within an hour, Kaecilius would come to help her. Their fight had lasted close to an hour.

As predicted, Kaecilius arrived moments later. His eyes swept over the scene. There was much destruction, but she also had her passed out father on the floor. She was bleeding heavily from her legs, but she had a proud smirk on her face, though it seemed a bit forced.

"Well done, Strange," Kaecilius said, though his heart wasn't in the compliment. "Give him here, I'll take him back."

Jenny wasn't stupid though. She knew if she gave Stephen over to Kaecilius, he would kill him without hesitation. She shook her head. "I can take him." With a wave of her hand, she lifted Stephen up into the air and began to carry him away and through the portal that Kaecilius had conjured.

A*A*A

Jenny approached Dormammu slowly, gently placing Stephen's body on the ground, and knelt before him. "What is it now, Strange?" the loud voice of Dormammu rang out. It was as terrifying as it had ever been. Jenny had only just realized how terrifying his voice was to her ears. She couldn't think why she thought that now, but she did.

"It's my father, my lord," Jenny said quietly, her fear increasing. She suddenly realized why she was so scared. Dormammu was going to take Stephen's life. She could not let that happen. "I have defeated him."

"Good. We shall dispose of him later," Dormammu said. His plan was going as well as he had ever hoped for. She had defeated him faster than he had expected, but that only pleased him even more. Soon he could be rid of the irksome child and he would take the earth.

"If I may, my lord, I would like to ask you a favor," Jenny said, as boldly as she could. She had to try, at least, even if the chance was impossible.

"Yes?"

"I would like to ask you to spare his life. Please," Jenny said, her tone more desperate.

"Impossible. The Sorcerer Supreme defeated us last time. We cannot take any chances this time," Dormammu hissed. He had had suspicions from the beginning that she would be compromised with her pathetic feelings for her father. He would have to dispose of both of them, sooner rather than later.

"Please, my lord. I beg you. I will watch him at all times. We can keep him prisoner. I've never asked for anything. Please spare him," Jenny begged.

Dormammu was silent for a while before responding. "Very well. But, know this, if he escapes and somehow defeats us again, I will not show you any mercy." He was lying, of course. He would never let him live, nor would he let Guinevere Strange live.

"Your kindness is overwhelming, my lord," Jenny said, breathing a deep sigh of relief, believing the lie. "I thank you."

"Send Kaecilius to me. I need to speak with him," Dormammu ordered her. He would have Kaecilius dispose of both of them.

"Yes, my lord," Jenny replied, bowing deeply and turning around to leave. She walked out to see Kaecilius waiting his turn to speak with Dormammu. "Your move," she told him as she walked past him.

"You should heal those legs of yours," was all Kaecilius said as he walked over to Dormammu.

Jenny nodded at his words and so that's what she went to do.

A*A*A

Jenny relaxed in a car she had stolen, her feet up on the dash. For some reason, she had felt the need to hijack this car and so she did. She didn't need to. Soon, Dormammu would take over the earth and she could have whatever she wanted.

She tried not to, but her thoughts turned to her father. Kaecilius was watching over him. Her father, the prisoner. What had she done? She had hurt him, and she had hurt him bad. It was her fault, of course it was. At least he would live.

 _"What if he doesn't though?"_ another voice said in the back of her head. She sat up, the thought filling her whole head, buzzing everywhere. What if he didn't? What was that supposed to mean? Of course, she knew exactly what it was implying. It was implying that Dormammu had lied to her. That he would kill her father no matter what deal she had made with him. Her breathing picked up and her heart raced against her chest. What if he had lied to her? It was entirely possible. He could kill Stephen right now and she wouldn't even know it. The thought made her panic. Would Dormammu lie to her, though? Maybe... But he had told her that he would keep him alive.

She remembered what her father had said just hours earlier. He loved her, not Dormammu. For some reason, that word really echoed with her. Love, love, love. She took her feet off the dash and she sat up straight.

Love. She loved her father, more than she had ever loved anyone. If she let anything more happen to him, she would never forgive herself. She was already half wanting herself dead for what she had already done as all of it came rushing back to her and hit her like a ton of bricks. She fumbled for the car door handle and she yanked on it, pushing it open. She fell to the ground outside. She stood up quickly and drew a portal, before sprinting through it, breathing heavily.

Stephen Strange would not die today.

A*A*A

Jenny panted as she ran at top speed to the prison where her father was kept. She had been suspicious for a while now, and she felt compelled to check. She arrived at the door and burst in. "Kaecilius, I..." Jenny's heart leapt. Her father was still tied to the chair, his face was colored with bruises and cuts. Kaecilius had a weapon pointed at her father's head. "Kaecilius, put it down. I made a deal."

Kaecillius chuckled. "Did you really think Dormammu would leave him alive? Now, turn and leave and no harm shall come to you." Kaecilius turned back to Stephen, who was watching his daughter closely. What did she mean, she had made a deal? Why would she care if he lived or died? She hadn't killed him before, but he had assumed that was because Dormammu had wanted to do it himself. Never had it crossed his mind that Jenny wanted him to live. The thought came up now though. Maybe she was redeemable after all.

Jenny stepped between the two. "No." She conjured a weapon of her own. Now she was determined to save her father. To save the world. She could see that Dormammu had been lying this whole time and she had been too blind to see it. It was too late to change the past now, though. All she could do was try to fix the future.

"Don't be foolish, Strange. Do you really think you can defeat me? Do you think you can defeat Dormammu? On your own?" Kaecilius taunted.

"I won't be alone. I'll have my father by my side. Just as it always should've been." Jenny said, her hand behind her back, using magic to loose her fathers bonds. Stephen slowly felt his wrists being realesed from the pressure, but he did not burst out of the bonds just yet. "Oh, and I don't think I can," Jenny said, lifting her weapon. "I know I can." She swung her weapon at Kaecilius and Kaecillius swung his.

Stephen leapt out if his seat and conjured a thin, gold rope. He wrapped them around Kaecilius's ankles. He yanked and Kaecilius was sent flying across the room and into a wall. Jenny turned to him, a somber look in her eyes as well as a few tears. Stephen only shook his head. They had other matters to deal with at the moment.

Kaecilius got back up slowly and Jenny slammed her leg into his side, her sadness being mixed with anger. Anger at herself mostly, but also at Dormammu and Kaecilius. It was just easy to take it out on them. Kaecilius groaned from the blow and Jenny kicked again and again. "You stupid piece of s***!" Jenny said, kicking again and again with each word.

Kaecilius conjured a weapon and thrust it into her ankle when she came close enough. She cried out in pain and fell on her back. Stephen rushed in and kicked Kaecilius's wrist. His weapon dissolved. He grabbed him by the arms and yanked him to his feet. Jenny scrambled to her feet, but kept the weight off her ankle. She had a mix of sad and angry tears. Her stone glowed on her chest. Stephen saw this and he spoke up quickly. "Jenny," he said warningly.

"Don't call me that," she suddenly said. "Jenny is someone who killed and murdered and was tricked with such ease." She glared at Kaecilius dangerously. "And I have to. If I don't, he'll just come back over and over. He deserves to die."

Stephen looked at the rage in his daughter's eyes. He still thought it was dangerous, but he decided to agree with her point. They had to die so the world could be safe. There could be no bargaining today. "You're right," he said softly.

Kaecilius struggled against his grip, but not for long because he was soon screaming as he was dissolved into nothing but dust by Jenny, or whatever she was called.

Stephen was breathing heavily as his eyes met his daughter's. She still looked upset and yet determined. "Dormammu," she said fiercely. "Dormammu and the others are next."

"Then let's go," Stephen nodded. They both walked out of the prison, not bothering to talk about what had happened. There would be time to talk about that later.

A*A*A

Guinevere showed Stephen to the place where Dormammu resided. Both of them could see him and his zealots from a distance. They had gathered for some sort of meeting it would seem. Guinevere had no idea what they were talking about. She had not been infirmed if this meeting, which lead her to think that it was because the meeting was about either her or her father. Or maybe both.

She got up from her kneeling position. "I'm going in," she muttered to her father and she stood up all the way. Stephen did too.

"You'll need a distraction," he reasoned. He also did not want her to go in there alone. She might've been extremely powerful, but she could still be in danger from Dormammu and there were so many if them.

Guinevere decided not to argue with that. "Be careful," was all she said as she nodded and they took off.

They walked right up to them, completely calm, hard expressions plastered on their faces. "Hello, my lord," Guinevere said mockingly to Dormammu. "Having a meeting are we? I was not informed."

"What are you doing?" Dormammu asked sharply. He had known she was compromised, but he didn't think she would act. He assumed she would stay on his side for much longer.

"What I should've done from the beginning," Guinevere said. "Getting rid of you."

"You think you can stop me again?" he hissed. "You cannot trick me again."

Stephen shook his head. "Oh no. We didn't come to bargain," he said with a smile. "We came to get rid if you once and for all."

The infinity stone began to heat up. It glowed brightly ad Guinevere got ready to destroy her true enemies. The others realized what was happening and they charged in to stop her. Stephen took care of them though, holding them off with ease.

Guinevere began to scream ad she realized just how hard it would be to destroy someone as large as Dormammu. It was different than the other times she had used the stone. It hurt a lot more, which caused her to scream in pain, but she did not stop. To the side, Stephen trued to block out the terrible noise of her screams as he held off the zealots. He wanted to make it stop, nsje her stop, but he couldn't. Dormammu had to be destroyed.

Dormammu tried to stop Guinevere shooting different spells and weapons at her but nothing could touch her. Anything within a five foot radius was dissolved. Until, finally, with one last scream of anguish, she destroyed everyone present but Stephen and herself.

Stephen brushed the dust off his clothing and looked up at Guinevere. She made eye contact with him for only a second before she passed out.

Stephen ran to her side. He pressed a finger to her neck and found that she still had a pulse. Sighing in relief, he lifted her up and carried her back home.

A*A*A

Everyone at Kamar Taj knew about the betrayal of Guinevere Strange. Most of them hadn't known her personally and naturally, they wanted her either dead or gone. Stephen understood their hatred, but he tried his best to calm the people. "She's still unconscious. She poses no threat to us now, nor will she ever again. She destroyed Dormammu and saved my life."

"Only after she attempted to kill you!" one man roared in anger and the others joined in. Stephen had yo scream to be heard over their collective shouts.

"She's only a child," Stephen argued. "She's a child who was manipulated."

"Bulls***!" one if the American men argued. "She's as much an adult as you or me. I say we kill her!" Again, the others screamed assent.

"Any man who wants to get to her will have to go through me," Stephen screamed right back. He conjured a weapon and waited to see if some brave soul would try to fight him.

"And me," another voice spoke from the crowd. It was Wong. Stephen sighed in relief at the fact that another had joined his cause. "She's done wrong, there's no denying that. But we cannot kill her. If we do, we are just as bad as she is. We owe her her life, since she saved all of ours as well."

"Well?" Stephen asked loudly when no one replied to Wong's statement. No one spoke. Not even an angry mutter or whisper was heard. "If you have no further argument, I suggest you return to bed." He glared at all of them. Silently, they all obeyed, but it was definitely reluctant.

Stephen sighed yet again in relief. "Thank you," he said to Wong. "I wasn't sure what I was going to do if they all wanted to fight me."

"It was no trouble," Wong replied. "Stephen, while I know she is your daughter and that you want to keep her with you, you may want to consider the opinions if everyone here. I believe you when you say that she has changed, but it doesn't stop her from being dangerous. Just be sure you know what you are doing." With that, Wong walked away.

Stephen pushed open the doors to Guinevere's bedroom. She lie on the bed, breathing a little, but still completely unconscious. Stephen took a seat next to her bed and took her hand. "Come on, Jenny. Pull through. You've just got to pull through."

A*A*A

It was two days later that Guinevere woke up. She remembered seeing that all too familiar ceiling when her eyes fluttered open. She forced herself to sit up and she saw that she was back in her room at Kamar Taj. She wondered what had happened when it all came flooding back to her. All that anger, sadness, betrayal, hurt. Tears flooded her eyes and she allowed herself to cry for a moment. For a while there, she had almost lost her father. She had almost caused the destruction of the while world, which would've meant everyone's death.

Her tears froze after several minutes. Yes, she had almost killed everyone. The whole world had almost died because of her. She could not let that happen again. She threw back the blankets and ripped off her infinity stone, placing it on the nearby night stand. She headed over to the closet and grabbed her bag. She began to stuff clothes in it. She had to leave. She shouldn't be here. She shouldn't be anywhere. She had to go, she had no idea where. Maybe she could find some isolated island far away from everyone else. Somewhere where she could never hurt anyone ever again.

As she stuffed clothes in her bag, Stephen returned to check on her. He sighed in relief when he saw her. "Jenny, thank goodness you're awake."

"Please don't use that name," Guinevere begged as she continued to pack. "I told you, Jenny is a killer and a betrayer. I suppose it's poetic, given who I was named after. Queen Guinevere, who betrayed the man she loved. It's almost ironic, isn't it?" Her sarcasm was halfhearted as she forced back tears.

"Jen- Guinevere what are you doing?" Stephen asked her.

"I'm leaving." Guinevere snapped at her father, shoving some clothes into a bag. "You shouldn't have to live with a killer. No one here should."

"Guinevere, would you just stop for a minute?" Guinevere stopped to hear what her father had to say. "What you did was horrible. Nobody's denying it. But you were tricked. I should've warned you about Dormammu. It's not your fault." Guinevere could feel tears pouring down her cheeks.

"Yes it is!" she cried. "It is my fault. If I weren't so selfish and power hungry, we wouldn't be having this discussion. There are dead people, who would be alive right now if I could just be more like you." She silently cried as she remembered killing the first Sorcerer Supreme and much of his counsel.

"Yes." Stephen said slowly. "But Dormamu would still be alive if it weren't for you. There is some good that came out of this." He had to reason with her. He couldn't just let her leave. He needed her here with him. He had let her go once, he wasn't going to do so again. He had already lost Jessie, he wasn't losing his daughter.

Guinevere snorted. "Hardly." She continued to stuff clothes in her bag. "I'm still leaving." Stephen grabbed her arm.

"No you're not," he demanded, but she ripped her arm away from him.

"You can't stop me." Guinevere snapped at him.

"Please Guinevere. You can't leave. I can't lose you again. I need you. I'm a better person with you Jenny. And Kamar Taj needs you. I can feel it. Your destiny is here at Kamar Taj. You have to stay. Please don't leave," he begged. Tears of his own formed in his eyes. Guinevere already had tears streaming down her cheeks. Stephen hesitantly opened his arms to her and she went in them.

"I'm sorry," she sobbed after a few moments. "I'm sorry. I'm so so sorry."

"Shhh," Stephen said gently, stroking her hair. "It's alright. I forgive you. Please just, stay with me. I lost your mother, but I won't lose you too. Promise me you'll stay." Guinevere could only nod in reply as they rocked back and forth, slowly trying to ease the pain of it all.

After a few minutes, Guinevere whispered to her father, "I'll stay."

 **** Get it!? Get it!? ;)**


	6. Chapter 6

Guinevere walked out of her room. It was early. Few people were up so early at Kamar Taj, though they would be up soon. But that was how Guinevere preferred it. No one would speak to her. Hopefully, no one would even notice her. She put her book in one hand and shut the door with the other.

She began to walk down the halls. People began to file out of their rooms. They saw her and would begin to whisper.

"There she is."

"That evil coward."

"I don't know why the sorcerer supreme kept her alive."

"Worthless, good for nothing."

"She's always so strange."

"She's nothing like her father."

And the insults went on and on. Guinevere had gotten used to it. People stared at her wherever she went. They always whispered insults. Some, like the three girls, no older than her, didn't bother to keep their voice down.

Others avoided her completely. They saw her and would walk the other way. She terrified them. Guinevere gave a small smile at the thought. She was almost nineteen. She was maybe 5' 6". She was slim, but muscular from all the time she spent fencing. She had long blond hair that reached her butt. Her eyes were like her father's eyes. Blue with a bit of green in there. Not exactly the intimidating type.

People began to head for the courtyard or to other classrooms to practice their magic. Normally, someone as advanced as Guinevere would be teaching the others. But no one wanted to learn from her. She had taught one class once. The experience was awful.

Guinevere turned down the winding halls till she reached the front doors. There, she turned to make sure no one was following her, and left Kamar Taj.

She headed down the streets where many were selling at the public market. They offered her fish, bread, beads and many other things. She, as usual, bought a small loaf of bread to eat for breakfast.

As she continued down the market streets, she took a back alley to avoid a gang of thugs. In the back alley, she met Merlin.

Merlin was a dog her father had healed of a broken leg just before he arrived at Kamar Taj. Whenever either of them left Kamar Taj, Merlin would find them. Guinevere saw him so much that she gave him his name. Guinevere always stopped to play and pet him. She broke off a bit of her bread and fed it to him. Merlin gobbled it up happily and barked at her.

Guinevere smiled. "You like that? Huh boy?" Merlin barked some more and looked at her for more.

"Oh, don't give me that look. This is my breakfast." Guinevere sighed. Merlin merely barked some more in reply. Guinevere chuckled and tossed him another piece. Then she set out to the other end of the alley. Merlin followed. She peaked around the corner to see that the coast was clear. It was so they left.

The two of them walked a couple more blocks before arriving at the library. She opened the door and was greeted by the smell of old books. And while she may have had no friends at Kamar Taj, she knew she had a friend here.

"Subha prabhāta." The librarian, Mr. Tenzin, greeted. "Good Morning."

"Good Morning." Guinevere greeted, speaking Nepali. She, like her father, had a photographic memory. So she was able to learn the language of Nepal pretty quickly. "Here's 'The Taming of the Shrew' for you." She said, handing over her book.

Mr. Tenzin took it from her and put it back on the small shelf of books. "Did you enjoy it?" He asked.

Guinevere nodded enthusiastically. "Oh, yes. It was wonderful."

Mr. Tenzin smiled. "Good, I'm glad you liked it. Well, you can pick out another book, if you like."

Guinevere spent a minute perusing his small shelf before selecting 'Hamlet', an old favorite if hers.

Mr. Tenzin nodded at her choice. "An excellent choice. Well, happy reading."

Guinevere smiled at the old librarian. "Gudbā'i." She said waving. "Good bye."

She started back to Kamar Taj, humming as she went. She was followed closely by Merlin. She arrived at Kamar Taj just as she was reading the part where Polonius was giving advice to Laertes before he leaves. *

Guinevere knocked on the door three times. She wasn't expecting to be greeted by Wong, the librarian at Kamar Taj. He was one of the few that was still polite to her. "Good morning, Jenny." He called her Jenny, just as her father did. Just as King Arthur called his Guinevere in the story.

"Good morning, Wong." Jenny said.

"Where were you off to?" Wong asked.

"I had to return a book to the library. I also got a new one." She said, holding up Hamlet.

"You could've gotten a book at my library." Wong replied.

Jenny shook her head. "While I love your library, Wong, it just has books on sorcery. Those books are entertaining but not the kind I'm looking for."

Wong nodded. "Your father said to remind you that Thor is coming today."

Guinevere nodded. "Thank you. If you see either Thor or my father, will you guide them to the courtyard? That's where I'll be." Wong nodded. "Thank you."

Guinevere took off to the courtyard area. There was a class outside, taught by Master Hamir. Master Hamir was not as polite as Wong but still more polite than most. He always nodded at her and greeted her in the halls.

"Master Strange." He said, nodding in her direction.

"Master Hamir." She greeted, nodding as well. He turned back to his class instructing them to open their minds to control the power of the sling ring. The sling ring was one of the first things Guinevere mastered. She was able to do it on the first try. She took herself to the top of the Eiffel Tower, a place she had always wanted to visit.

Guinevere sat down a few yards away, nearby a few trees, and began to read. This was her favorite part. "To thine own self be true." She whispered to herself. To Guinevere, that had always meant that she should not hide who she was nor who she used to be. No matter how ashamed she was.

There was a knock on the door of Kamar Taj. This time, a man named Sajit opened the door. Thor burst in. "Hello sir. My name is Thor Odinson. I'm looking for a Doctor Stephen Strange." He said.

Sajit was always nervous. This just set him off again. He trembled as he replied, "I don't know where Doctor Strange is, but I just saw his daughter, Jenny. She's out in the courtyards."

"Thank you. What is your name?" Thor asked.

"Sajit." Sajit squeaked.

"Thank you Sajit. Please lead me to this Jenny." Thor demanded politely.

Sajit lead him to the courtyard. There were more people gathered around now. Sajit pointed to the trees. "She's probably in there."

"I thank you." Thor said, striding off into the trees.

There were three girls, about Guinevere's age standing nearby. They were watching Guinevere read and gossiping amongst themselves. They stopped when they saw Thor. Sunita, the ring leader giggled and so did the other two.

Thor greeted the girls. "Good morning. Is one of you Jenny Strange?"

Sunita shook her head and they laughed again.

"Do you know where she is? I must speak with her." Thor asked.

The three of them pointed towards Guinevere, who was a several yards away, still reading. Thor thanked them and left, which set the girls off into giggles again.

Guinevere shifted where she sat, slightly annoyed. What was so funny over there? She was used to them staring at her and whispering as she read. They did it all the time. But now they had to giggle loudly.

"Jennifer Strange." A loud voice called out. She looked up to see a tall, blond man in silver and red armor walking towards her. "Are you Jennifer Strange?" He asked, as he neared her.

She smiled slightly. "Guinevere, actually." Guinevere said, holding out her hand.

Thor threw up his hands. "Could you tell me where to find Jennifer Strange? I need to speak to her."

Guinevere seemed confused. Then it dawned on her. He probably thought Jenny was short for Jennifer. "There is no Jennifer Strange. Jenny is short for Guinevere. That's me."

"Oh." Thor said. "Well, hello. I am Thor Odinson. I have come to find Doctor Stephen Strange. Are you two related?"

Guinevere nodded. "Yes. He is my father. I can show you to his room if you like."

Thor nodded. "Yes, that would be good. We have much to do."

Guinevere closed her book and motioned for Thor to follow her.

Stephen Strange was talking with Wong in his room. "I just don't know what to do Wong. People have left Kamar Taj, saying they won't be in the same building with her. I've tried over and over to reassure them. To remind them that Jenny is no longer a threat. No one will listen. Now she won't even talk to me. She says she can't face me after what she's done. I don't know what to do."

"The people of Kamar Taj won't change their minds soon. Not after what she's done." Wong said.

"But she's changed. She's different. I don't understand why they..."

"You think that matters to them?" Wong interrupted. "You think they care about that? All they see is the past. What she has done. Not what she's doing now. Give them time. Soon, they'll move on."

Stephen sighed. "No, you're right. It would be hard to forget. But they don't see it. They don't see how sorry she is. How sorry she was when she saved me. She was deceived. It was a cruel trick. I wish they would see it."

At that moment, Guinevere walked in, followed by Thor. She looked into her father's eye. The first time she had done so in months. Then she spotted Wong. "I'm so sorry. You're busy. I'll just..."

"No, no." Both Wong and Strange said. "I was just leaving." Wong said quickly. He nodded at Thor and left the room, shutting the door behind him.

Stephen cleared his throat. "How was the village?" He asked awkwardly.

Guinevere shrugged. "Same as ever. I got a new book. Saw Merlin." Stephen nodded, silently willing his daughter to look him in the eye.

The awkward silence didn't last long. Thor strutted forward. "Hello again, Doctor Strange." He said, shaking his hand.

"Hello." Stephen replied. Guinevere sat down at the foot of her fathers bed.

Thor continued. "A lot has happened since we last met Doctor Strange. There has been an incident."

"Call me Stephen, please and what do you mean an incident?"

"I told you that my brother, Loki, and I came to earth to find my father, Odin. Unfortunately, Loki has escaped."

"Escaped? When? Where has he gone?" Stephen asked.

"He escaped about a week ago. We were staying in Stark Tower, heading this way before he left." Thor explained.

"Any idea where he might be?"

"No." Thor replied, sadly.

Guinevere cleared her throat. The two men turned to her. "Well, we should examine what we know about Loki. He's the supposedly God of Mischief and Lies. He's adopted. Isn't he an ice giant?" Guinevere asked Thor.

Thor nodded. "Yes. Father adopted him from the race of ice giants."

"So, does he maybe prefer colder climates?" Guinevere questioned.

"I suppose he might." Thor replied.

Guinevere was slightly frustrated. This didn't help. "So, has he been to earth before?"

"Yes, about four years ago."

"Where did he visit?"

"New York. Manhattan area. Also Stuttgart, Germany. Those are the only places I know of." Thor answered.

"Is he the kind of person that would stick to places he knew? Familiar landmarks, that kind of thing?"

"No. Loki is not afraid here on Midgard. He will go wherever he pleases." Thor said.

"This is not helping." Guinevere muttered under her breath. "Well, would he go to Manhattan or Stuttgart?"

"No, I don't think he would. He would want to avoid detection as much as possible." Thor replied.

"So unpopulated areas." Guinevere said.

"I think we should start in cold areas. Ones that are unpopulated. Its the best lead we've got." Stephen said from where he sat.

Thor nodded. "Yes. We must leave as soon as we can."

"Alright. Give us a day to pack our things. We'll leave in the morning." Stephen said. Thor asked where he could get some food. Stephen pointed him in the right direction and Thor left.

Stephen coughed, then said, "So, how was everyone today?"

"Same as always. Some distant, detached. Others loud, talking." Guinevere said.

"Jenny, I'm... I'm sorry. I've tried. I have. I tried talking to the others. I've tried everything." Stephen apologized.

"Well you need to stop trying." Guinevere snapped back. Stephen was silent. Guinevere scoffed. "What did you think would happen? They would all feel guilty? Repent of their sins? Beg me for forgiveness? We'd all be best buds? No, see, they're right. I was in the wrong. I was stupid, and irresponsible. I mean... I almost got you killed, Dad." Guinevere choked on the last words.

Stephen shook his head. "OK shut up. Shut up. You know I don't blame you nor do I dwell on it. I just wish you would look at me. Talk to me. Give me some sort of sign. I... I almost lost you. I can't go through that again. Please, don't drift away from me. I want to help."

Guinevere shook her head. "I can't. I love you, but I can't. I can't look at you without all the memories of the things I did rushing back to me. I'm sorry, but I just can't."

And with that she ran out of the room and slammed the door.


	7. Chapter 7

Guinevere stared at her reflection in the mirror. Her long blond hair was pulled into two ponytails. The hairbands came to just below the shoulders. She took a deep breath and picked up the scissors on the bathroom counter. She slowly cut off one half. The long hair fell in bunches on the floor. Then she did the other half. It wasn't a good idea to be travelling with that long hair. She shook out her hair and ran a brush through it. It felt odd. She hadn't cut her hair since middle school.

Guinevere shoved her last shirt into the small bag she would carry with her. She had used magic so she could fit more in there. Then she added the final touches. She grabbed her necklace that had the infinity stone attached to it. She put it around her neck and latched it. It glowed bright orange, so she stuffed it in her shirt. She grabbed the black leather jacket that sat on her bed. This jacket had belonged to her brother. Her adoptive father may not have cared for her but her brother had liked her. She would attend all his football games and practices, and he would always thank her on TV when the local news station interviewed him. This jacket had been his most prized possession. When he had died, it was the only thing Guinevere kept. Finally, her black sunglasses and she headed out the door.

Outside, Thor, her dad, and Wong were waiting. Wong would see them off and would be in charge while Stephen was gone. Stephen was giving him some last minute instruction before turning to his daughter. "You ready?" He asked.

"As ready as I'll ever be." Guinevere said, smiling slightly. They were off to face an immortal being with exceptional powers. She wasn't sure if she would ever be ready.

"Let us go. We haven't a moment to lose." Thor boomed in his rather large voice.

Stephen nodded. "Alright, where to?" He said, pulling on his sling ring.

"The cold unpopulated place you spoke of yesterday." Thor replied.

"Yeah, which one?"

Guinevere shrugged. "North or South? Arctic, Antarctica, maybe Greenland?"

"No, we should not go to this Green Land. We are visiting cold places, not green ones." Thor said.

"Greenland has a small population. We should go to the unpopulated ones first." Stephen said.

Guinevere nodded and turned to Thor. "You choose. North or South? Penguins or polar bears? Does Loki have a preference?"

"What are North and South?" Thor asked.

Guinevere shook her head, unsure how to explain. "Pick penguins or polar bears."

"I do not understand. What are penguins and polar bears?" Thor asked.

Guinevere sighed. "Penguins are birds. You do know what birds are?" Thor nodded. "Penguins are harmless, flightless birds. Polar bears are like big white dogs. They can be vicious." Guinevere explained, hoping he knew what dogs were.

Thor nodded thoughtfully. Then he said, "Polar bears."

Guinevere smiled. She turned to her dad. "Arctic circle it is."

Stephen held up one hand and made a circular motion with the other. Slowly, a portal began to appear. A cold wind blasted all of them, a few snowflakes drifted into the room and melted.

Stephen turned to his daughter. "Ladies first." He said.

Guinevere gave a small chuckle and shook her head. Then she jumped through the portal and into the cold snow. Thor followed, then Stephen came in and the portal behind them closed.

They scanned the area. Guinevere didn't see anything. "D'you think your brother would build himself a nice little cottage?" Guinevere shouted above the wind.

Thor shook his head. "Using his magic, he would build himself the nicest abode he could."

"Like a castle?" Thor nodded. "That's a bit pretentious." Guinevere muttered under her breath. Stephen chuckled next to her. "Well I see no castles here. Should we go in that direction?" Thor and Stephen nodded.

Stephen drew his sling ring and conjured a portal. "That spot is as far as I can see." He explained. They stepped through to the next spot.

They searched for what felt like hours. The wind storm stopped at one point which gave them a clearer vision. They searched area after area until they felt they had gone over the entire arctic circle. There was no castle or palace. Not even a small cottage. They pressed on. Searching in every direction. They kept pressing on, hardly stopping for a rest. They only stopped once.

"We can't go on like this. If we stay out here much longer, we could get hypothermia or frostbite." Stephen said.

"We cannot give up. We must find Loki. Loki is unpredictable. If we don't find him soon, the consequences could be disastrous." Thor said.

"I know. But we can't go on like this. If we continue like this, we could die." Guinevere said.

Thor stared out over the snow. The sun was slowly crawling across the sky. It hadn't been half an hour since they started searching. He was silent for a long moment before saying, "Alright. But could we continue for at least ten more minutes?"

Guinevere could hear the desperation in his voice. He truly cared for his brother. Despite what Loki had done. Despite the fact that they could no longer trust each other. Thor still cared for his brother immensely. She turned to her father and nodded.

Stephen felt proud. His daughter would keep going. She was very strong. She would make an excellent sorcerer supreme one day. Stephen nodded as well and turned to Thor. "Alright. We keep going. Then we'll leave, get some food, rest, warmth and come up with a better plan."

"Thank you." Thor said, his voice full of relief. He pointed in the direction he had been staring. "Let's go that way." Stephen created a portal. They walked through to the next bit of snowy landscape.

Guinevere scanned the tundra and saw nothing. She huffed indignantly and bent down. She scooped up a handful of snow and drank it. As she stood, she froze. There, in the distance, she could've sworn she saw something. "Dad?" She called.

"Yeah?" He replied, scanning the area behind her.

"Come here a second."

Stephen turned around to see his daughter kneeling in the snow. He crouched beside her to see what she was looking at. Thor knelt at her other side. They stated off into the distance. "There." Guinevere said, pointing to the small thing she saw.

Stephen stood and drew a portal to that spot. They walked through the portal. On the other side they saw a huge castle made entirely of ice. It was very beautiful. There were many intricate details. Guinevere gasped.

"That's it." Thor said. "It looks just like the palace back on Asgard."

"Quite the architect, your brother is." Guinevere said to Thor. "Its so pretty."

"We'd best get inside. If we stay out here any longer we'll get hypothermia." Stephen said. The threesome walked up to the front gates. Thor pounded on the door four times with his large fist. Slowly the door creaked open.

The inside was just as beautiful as the outside. It was also a lot warmer on the inside. Guinevere shuddered from the warmth. They walked down the halls to the next doors. The doors opened. On the other side were many guards. They carried many swords and weapons. One of them stepped forward. "You will drop your weapons and items of power and follow me." He said.

They all hesitated. Then Guinevere dropped her sling ring. Both Stephen and Thor turned to stare at her. Guinevere shrugged. "Why not? If we're going to convince him to come with us, we should cooperate."

Stephen and Thor grudgingly threw their weapons on the floor. Thor dropped his hammer with a loud thud that cracked the ice. Stephen threw down his sling ring and let his cloak of levitation float in the air. Guinevere tucked her necklace into her shirt again. The guard nodded in satisfaction. "Follow me please."

He lead them down a long winding path. They went down several staircases until they arrived at their destination. The dungeons.

"You can't keep us here forever." Guinevere objected.

"He will speak with each of you separately." The guard replied.

"I'll go first." Thor said, stepping forward. "He is my brother."

One guard led Thor upstairs. The others locked Guinevere and Stephen into separate cages. They both objected. "Why can't you put us together?" Stephen asked.

The guard said nothing, but pushed him into the cage opposite of Guinevere and shut the door. They sat in silence for a long time, until Thor returned. The guard took Stephen up next. Thor was locked in a cage close to Stephen's. "What did he say?" Guinevere asked.

Before Thor could reply, the guard said, "No talking." They remained in silence until they heard the scraping of door against floor. Stephen was marched into his cell and locked back up. The guard unlocked Guinevere's cage. "You're up." He said.

The guard marched her up the stairs and through winding halls. Guinevere looked at the walls. Loki really was quite the architect. The designs on the wall were small but had so much detail. Guinevere was almost certain that the writing on the wall was the Asgardian language.

They arrived at a large room with a high ceiling. There was an ice chandelier hanging from it. There were large pillars on either side of her. At the end of the hall, she saw a throne. Sitting on the throne was Loki Laufeyson.

Guinevere froze where she was. She had seen him before. She couldn't put a time or place to his face, but she had seen him somewhere. She stayed frozen till the guard pushed her forward. "Move."

They walked up to him at his throne. He was silent for a moment, taking her in. Then he spoke. "Kneel."

"What for?" Guinevere asked. Loki said nothing but nodded at his guard. The guard raised his arm and slapped Guinevere across the cheek. Guinevere gasped as her head snapped back. She felt something wet on her cheek. She touched it gently with her fingers. It was blood. She was then forced to her knees. She grudgingly stared Loki in his eye.

"Avert your eyes." The guard said. Guinevere stared at Loki for a moment before complying.

Loki smiled. Not a smile of kindness, but of... What? Guinevere couldn't think of a word to describe it. The smile. The look in his eyes. "You may rise." He said.

Guinevere did so. "So, why have I had the honor to be called before his majesty?" Guinevere asked sarcasm dripping from her voice.

Loki gave that same smile. But he seemed somewhat amused this time. "I have called you here because I understand you didn't follow my instructions."

Guinevere felt the heat of the room infinity stone beneath her shirt. "I don't know what you mean, sire." Guinevere imitated the duke from Cinderella, her voice still full of sarcasm.

"Don't play games. I mean the infinity stone you keep below your shirt." Loki said. "I would like very much if you would give it to me." Guinevere said nothing. She stood still. There was a long pause. Loki sighed. " I could remove it by force or you could give it to me." Then he grinned evilly. "Either way works for me."

Guinevere felt sick at that thought. "Fine!" She snarled. She reached below her shirt, grabbed the stone and yanked hard. It popped off. She crumpled it in her hand. "Might I approach his majesty?" Guinevere said, bowing slightly. Loki smirked but nodded. Guinevere walked up to him and shoved it in his open hand. "Tapāim dhakēlnu garna saknuhuncha āphnō..." *

"Choose your next words very carefully." Loki interrupted

"You speak Nepali?" Guinevere blurted out, before she even knew what she was saying.

"I speak many languages." Loki replied. He held the infinity stone in his hand. Finally he sighed in frustration. "Why isn't this working?"

"Because only I can work it, genius." Guinevere said. "It won't work for anyone but me."

Loki felt a stab of anger. Great, now he had to keep her as well. He cooled himself down before speaking. "Well, I suppose I only need you, so I'll go dispose of the others..." He stood up.

"Wait!" Guinevere cried. He turned to her in satisfaction. "Please, I'll do whatever you want, just... Let them go. I'll do whatever you want. Whatever you want." Guinevere begged him.

He smiled, satisfied. This had gone exactly how he had wanted it. He turned to face her. "Alright, I suppose I'll let them go. But make no mistake." He moved swiftly towards her, putting his lips to her ear. "You make one wrong move, just one, and I will kill them. Make no mistake."

Guinevere swallowed hard and nodded. "I swear it. I'll do whatever you say."

"Prove it." Loki said suddenly. "Kneel." Guinevere stared at him yet again. She slowly moved to her knees and bowed her head. "Good." Loki said, sitting back in his throne. He turned to his guard. "Go set the two men downstairs free."

The guard nodded and went to follow his orders. Guinevere cleared her throat. "I have only a few personal items with me. Would it be alright if I went home to grab a few things? It would take fifteen minutes, tops."

Loki stared at her for a moment, then nodded. He called out to the guard. "Change of plans. Bring the two men here." The guard nodded yet again and turned away. Loki turned on Guinevere. "If you ate not back in fifteen minutes, I will kill them. Starting with your father. Rest assured, it will be painful.

Guinevere nodded and grabbed the sling ring off the floor. She drew a portal into her room and ran inside. She stuffed in as much clothes as she could carry. Then she grabbed her photo of her and her father when they had first met. They were both laughing about some long forgotten joke. She stuffed the picture in her bag, then ran back through the portal.

Loki was true to his word and set both Thor and Stephen free. Stephen objected. "Please. Take me. Take me instead. She's still a child." He begged.

"She's made her choice. Now, leave." Loki demanded.

"Dad you have to go." Guinevere said through her tears. "If you don't, something bad will happen. Just go."

Stephen reluctantly gave in. "I will come back for you. Someday. I love you, Jenny."

"I love you too, Dad." Guinevere cried. The guard said hen shoved him through the portal and it disappeared.

Guinevere wiped at her tears. She took a deep breath, and stopped crying. Loki stood. "I will show you to your room." He said. Guinevere followed him.

He led her up some stairs. "What, I'm not staying in the dungeons?" Guinevere asked.

"Not unless you want to." Loki said.

"Well, it would depend on the kind of dungeon, if you know what I mean." Guinevere said, sarcastically. Loki said nothing. "Hey, do I know you?" Guinevere asked.

Loki turned around. "You mean you don't remember?"

"You look so familiar, I just can't put my finger on it. Why do I know you?"

"It'll come to you. If you can fight the serum a little now, you can fight it off altogether." Loki replied.

What serum? Guinevere thought. She strained her memory, something unusual for her. She had her father's photographic memory, so she usually remembered just about everything. As she continued thinking, an image came to her.

"Didn't you used to wear a hat?" Guinevere asked. "Well, not a hat but a helmet. A helmet with two horns."

"Do you remember anything else?" Loki pressed.

"I... I remember you in that helmet. And... A crowd screaming. And... Something to do with eyeballs." Guinevere said. She could hear the screaming in her mind. Then she heard a new noise. The clang of metal on metal. Like swordplay. Then it all came rushing back to her. "Oh my..."

"There it is." Loki muttered.

"I had come to Stuttgart to hear Doctor Heinrich Schaefer speak with Mr. Bates and my brother. I had gone to the bathroom and when I came out, everyone was screaming, and you were cutting out the doctor's eye! So I grabbed the sword that hung on the wall... And I fought. I fought as best as I could and I refused to kneel. Then Captain America and Iron Man came. Oh gosh, I was only fifteen."

Loki nodded. "But why would they try to make me forget?" Guinevere asked.

"How should I know, mortal?" Loki snapped, annoyed from all the questions.

"I'm not mortal." Guinevere said.

"Of course you're a mortal." Loki brushed her off.

"No, I'm not. I draw power from the dark dimension to keep myself alive." Guinevere explained. Loki said nothing.

They walked in silence the rest of the way. Then they arrived at her room. The inside was nice. A nice, big bed. A bathroom. A window looking over the tundra as the sun set. "This is where you will stay. I will send someone to fetch you in the morning for breakfast." Loki then handed her her necklace and left.

Guinevere tossed her bag to the side. She set her picture and book on the small night table beside the bed. "Oh well," she whispered to herself. "It could be worse."

a/n: Hope you liked it! Thanks to those of you who have followed/ favorited/ reviewed! It means a lot. I'll try to update soon.

*This means "You can shove that up your..." In Nepali, but if you put it into google translate, it says it means you can push your.


	8. Chapter 8

a/n: Hello all! Please enjoy this chapter! (I don't own Marvel)

Guinevere swayed with Gabe, her brother, to the music. They chuckled happily as they danced like idiots in a very public and very nice place. "Isn't this cool? We get to visit a fancy place in Germany!" Gabe said.

Guinevere nodded. "I know! It's amazing! And tomorrow we get to see the Neuschwanstien castle! Half the kids at school don't even leave the state for vacation."

Gabe took out his phone and they took a photo together. Mr. Bates was speaking to one of the German citizens. He glanced over at the two of them and shook his head. He walked over to them to reprimand them. Gabe forced back laughter and Guinevere smiled and nodded. Mr. Bates shook his head at the two kids and left.

Gabe and Guinevere chatted for several minutes about school and their plans for tomorrow. Guinevere kept looking past Gabe to the man on the balcony. He was tall, with shoulder length black hair. He wore a nice suit and held a gold cane with a blue stone at the top. 'Handsome' Guinevere thought, even though he was obviously much older than her. At the time, she had no idea who he really was.

Guinevere excused herself to go to the bathroom, just moments before the doctor's speech. She hummed the tune the orchestra had been playing as she washed her hands. Outside, she heard loud gasps which turned to screams of terror. Guinevere dashed outside to find the man from the balcony cutting out the eye of the doctor.

Guinevere felt a scream of her own form in her throat. She quickly swallowed it. This was no time to panic. She needed to act fast before this man injured someone else. She scanned the room for a weapon. Her eyes landed on a sword, hanging on the wall on display. She ran towards it and took it down from its display. It was a bit heavier than the swords she used in fencing, but it would suffice.

She lifted the sword above the crowd and began to walk towards the man. The crowd was screaming and fleeing to the doors. "Move!" Guinevere cried as she shoved through the crowd. They payed no attention to her words.

By the time Guinevere reached the man, he had put away his weapon. He was looking at the crowd fleeing in terror. He smiled, satisfied. That's when his eyes landed on Guinevere. His smile became more amused. "Are you going to stop me? A mere mortal with a sword?"

Guinevere felt her mouth go completely dry. What did he mean, mortal? She felt the weight of what she was doing hit her like a ton of bricks. He was a fully grown man who had just taken someone's eye out. She was a skinny teenage girl with a sword. What chance did she have against him? She swallowed, which took a lot of effort, and said, "Yes. Yes I am."

"Very well. Let's see what Midgard's champion has to offer." Guinevere had no time to wonder what Midgard was because, at that moment, he had changed his appearance. He now wore armor of silver and black. He wore a long green cape. On his head sat a helmet with two long horns. His cane had changed into a spear, but the glowing blue stone at the top was still there.

Guinevere felt a new wave of terror. This man obviously had powers beyond anything she could comprehend. 'To late to back out now' she thought, even though she could've easily ran into the crowd. She got a better grip on the sword and thrust it at him.

He deflected it with ease. Guinevere knew then that he was much stronger, faster, smarter and better than any opponent she had ever faced. She nearly lost her weapon. She shook it off, regained her grip, and performed a parry. He deflected her yet again. They dueled for only a few minutes before the man knocked her down. The sword still in her hands, the man grabbed the back of her dress and dragged her outside. He thrust her in front of the crowd and before his feet. Guinevere could hear Gabe's cry over the crowd's fresh screams of horror.

"Kneel before me." He said. The crowd stood, unmoving.

"I said," the man said, his voice dangerous, "KNEEL!"

The crowd cried out and knelt down slowly. The man chuckled deeply. He stepped over Guinevere and into the crowd. "Is not this simpler? Is this not your natural state? It is the unspoken truth of humanity, that you crave subjugation. The bright lure of freedom diminishes your life's joy in a mad scramble for power. For identity. You were made to be ruled. In the end, you will always kneel."

Guinevere lay still, listening to his speech. At the end, she slowly stood up. "No."

The man whirled around to face her. "No?" He repeated.

"No. We do not kneel. We kneel before no man."

"I am not a man."

"Yes, you are." Guinevere said. "You're no different than the other men who wanted us to kneel. We refused to kneel before them. We do not kneel to you. We will fight, and you will lose."

The man lifted his spear and pointed it at Guinevere. "Look to the girl, people. See where disobedience gets you."

Guinevere braced herself for the pain and probable death that was sure to follow. She closed her eyes but it didn't come. Instead, she heard a loud bang, and the screams of the crowd. She opened her eyes and saw a man in in red, white and blue with a shield standing before her. When Gabe was younger, he collected his trading cards. Captain America.

"You know, the last time I was in Germany, and saw a man standing above everyone else, we ended up disagreeing." Captain America said.

"The soldier. A man out of time." The man in green said.

"I'm not the one who's out of time."

Behind Captain America, a plane appeared. It pointed its gun at the man. "Loki, drop the weapon now." A female voice demanded from the plane. The world seemed frozen for a minute, then a million things happened at once. Loki shot his spear at the plane. The plane dodged it. The crowd of people ran in terror. Captain America threw his shield at Loki and they engaged in battle.

Loki used his spear to knock away Captain America's shield. It skidded to a halt at Guinevere's feet. She bent down and picked it up. It was heavy, but not as heavy as Guinevere thought it would be. "Captain!" Guinevere shouted.

Captain America glanced at her out of the corner of his eye. Guinevere threw the shield as hard as she could. Captain America caught it and went back to Loki. Guinevere grabbed the sword and considered fighting. Captain America surely could handle himself, but Guinevere wanted to help. Guinevere charged Loki and lifted the sword to thrust it into his back.

Loki caught her movements just in time to block it. Captain America used his distraction as an opportunity to punch Loki in the face. Guinevere tried again to hit Loki. Loki knocked Guinevere far away. She sailed through the air and hit a trash can. She groaned in pain and curled up on the ground.

As Captain America battled Loki, loud heavy metal music played from the plane's loudspeaker. In the air, the Iron Man blasted Loki. He landed beside Captain America and pointed his blaster at Loki. "Make your move, reindeer games."

Loki held up his hands in surrender as his appearance changed yet again. "Good move." Iron Man said.

Captain America rushed to Guinevere's side. "Hey kid. Are you alright?" Guinevere moaned in reply. "You were really good back there. But that was really dangerous. You could've been killed."

"It's gonna take a lot more than a magician with a spear to kill me." Guinevere muttered.

Captain America chuckled. "You're tough as nails kid. You did me a favor. We owe you. Come on. We're taking you to the hospital. We'll fix you up."

"My brother." Guinevere protested.

"Don't worry. We'll take care of your family to." Captain America assured her. He stooped down and picked her up. "What's your name?"

"Guinevere."

"I'm Steve. We're going to take care of you Guinevere." Steve reassured her. Guinevere felt the warmth of his body as he reassured her. Guinevere felt the darkness closing in and she knew no more.

Guinevere sat up in her bed. She could feel sweat pouring down the back of her neck and on her cheek. It was still dark outside. She pushed off her blankets and moved into her bathroom. She turned on the lights and looked into the mirror. Her hair was a mess and her white tank top was slightly damp with sweat. Which made it even more see through than it already was. She touched her cheek and realized that it wasn't sweat, but blood.

She vaguely remembered getting slapped and cut. "What the heck was he slapping with?" Guinevere muttered to herself. She turned on the water and began washing the blood off her cheek. It was still bleeding a little. She lifted her hand to her cheek and performed a simple healing spell. She didn't do it quite right and there was still a scar left behind. It went from the corner of her mouth to her ear. She sighed and grabbed her brush. She was brushing through her hair when she saw a shadow move in her room. She gasped and dropped the brush. She peeked outside into her room and saw nothing.

She began to wonder if Loki was watching her while she slept. Perhaps he had given her that dream. That would be awful, especially considering what she was wearing. A white see through tank top and short shorts. She felt herself squirm uncomfortably. Then she shook it off. What reason would Loki have to watch her while she slept? She was being paranoid. She turned off the light and went back to sleep.

When she next awoke, it was dawn. On her bedside table was a note. Guinevere picked it up and read it.

'Meet me downstairs for breakfast. We will talk then. Loki'

She sighed and climbed out of bed. She grabbed clothes from her drawers and went to take a bath and get ready. After about a half hour, she was completely ready. She wore a plain black tank top (not see through) with jeans and her black high tops. Her hair lay straight. She walked out the door and met a guard. "I will take you down to breakfast." He said, and walked off down the hall. Guinevere walked with him.

They arrived in a large banquet hall. There was a long table with two chairs. There was an enormous amount of food on the table. Different meats, bread, cheeses, fruits, a lot of food she didn't recognize, juice (which she thought might also be wine) and water. Guinevere sat down and reached for some food. "You will wait." The guard said. Guinevere scowled and waited. After about ten minutes, Loki arrived. He was dressed as usual, same black and green armor. Same cape. He sat down in the chair at the head of the table and beside Guinevere. He grabbed some food and began eating.

Guinevere saw this as her opportunity to grab some food. She reached for some bread and fruit. "Good morning." She greeted. Loki said nothing and continued to eat. Guinevere rolled her eyes as she poured herself some water.

They ate in silence for the rest of the meal. Then Loki finished his meal. He cleared his throat and spoke. "You will keep this around your neck at all times." He held out the necklace with the infinity stone. Guinevere grabbed it from his hand and attached it at the back.

"Later, you will tell me and possibly show me what you can do with your infinity stone. I will show you around the castle and you will learn what your jobs here will be."

Guinevere groaned mentally. She was nineteen and she still had to do chores? That seemed weird considering he had any number of staff working for him. Loki stood. "Finish your meal and I will show you around."

Guinevere wolfed down the rest of her fruit and took a large swig of water. She wiped at her mouth and stood as well. Loki nodded. "Follow me."

Loki lead her back out to the hall. She followed him down some winding passageways to the room she had seen yesterday. "This is the throne room. It is hardly ever used. You are not to sit in the throne." Loki instructed.

"Wouldn't dream of it, your worship." Guinevere said. Loki said nothing, but Guinevere thought she saw him smile at her sarcasm.

Loki lead her down to the dungeons. She recognized them as well. "These are the dungeons as you well know." His eyes glinted. "This is where you will be taken if you need to be punished."

Guinevere shuddered at that. Then she grinned. She wondered if Loki knew the other meaning behind the phrase. She tried to think of something to say, but came up with nothing. So she merely nodded and winked at him.

He guided her upstairs. "This is my bedroom." He said, opening the door. His room was extremely grand. The bed was large. He had a nice bathroom with a large bath and shower. He had a wall that was entirely a window, overlooking the snowy white tundra. The ceiling was high and had an ornate chandelier hanging from it.

Guinevere whistled. "Very nice. You couldn't punish me here could you?" She asked raising her eyebrows.

"You will clean this room everyday after breakfast. You will make the bed, sweep the floor, clean the windows and scrub the walls." Loki told her.

Guinevere nodded. "Will do." She paused, then asked, "What will I clean it with?"

"I will provide you with cleaning supplies." Loki replied. Loki gestured for her to follow him. They went down the halls a bit further to a large hall with paintings and suits of armor. "You will polish these suits of armor until I can see my reflection in it."

Guinevere rolled her eyes at that comment. "As you wish."

Loki lead her further down the hall to two large doors that went to the ceiling. He pushed the large doors open to reveal the largest library Guinevere had ever seen. There were rows and rows of shelves with books stacked to the ceiling. There were two large windows with velvet curtains where sunlight could stream in. Guinevere gasped and thought she might cry. It was amazing.

"It's beautiful." Guinevere whispered, her voice hushed.

Loki nodded in appreciation. "Thank you. You will dust these shelves daily as well."

"Could I..." Guinevere started to say, but stopped herself.

Loki turned to her. "Yes?"

"Could I, maybe, read these books? Please?" Guinevere asked tentatively.

Loki thought for a moment than nodded. "I don't see why not. You may read them if you behave."

Guinevere grinned. "Thank you. Thank you so much!"

Loki nodded to her. "Follow me." They left the library and went down the hall. "Only one more room."

"What's up there?" Guinevere asked, pointing to a set of stairs they had not yet explored.

Loki's face hardened. "None of your concern."

Guinevere held up her hands in surrender. "Alright. I'm sorry. I won't ask." They walked down a winding staircase. They went into a large room with a lot of space. There were many windows and a door that lead out to a balcony. On the opposite side of the room was a large grand piano. Guinevere stroked it gently. "It's lovely."

"Thank you." Loki said again. "You will dust this and polish it daily. You will also sweep this floor." Guinevere nodded, completely distracted by the piano. "Do you play?"

Guinevere looked up. "Yeah."

"Perhaps you could play for me, one day. It would be nice to hear some Midgardian music." Loki suggested.

"You would let me play? For you?" Guinevere asked, stunned.

Loki nodded. "If you would like."

Guinevere smiled in appreciation. She hadn't played in two years. It was the thing she missed most while at Kamar Taj. She couldn't very well bring her piano with her, so it had been left behind. She was confused about Loki's actions. He had been so egotistical and unpleasant the day before and in Stuttgart. But now he was somewhat kind. True, he was making her scrub floors and wash windows, but he also let her play his piano and read his books. Perhaps he hadn't always been like this. Evil. Maybe he was manipulated just like she had been.

When her father had told her about his meeting with Thor about Loki and Odin, she had decided to read some books on Norse mythology. In the stories, Loki wasn't really evil. Mischievous, maybe and a trickster for sure. But not evil. Thor fit his description in the book. Perhaps Loki used to be different. She pushed her thoughts aside. "Thank you."

"Come." Loki and Guinevere left the ballroom area and headed for the throne room. Loki sat on his throne. Guinevere stood by awkwardly. "Tell me. What can you do with the infinity stone?"

Guinevere shuffled where she stood. "All sorts. I can manipulate its energy and use it as a weapon. I used it to destroy my enemies, once."

"Destroy? How?" Loki asked.

"I... I ummm... I disintegrated them. They were nothing but dust when I finished with them." Guinevere said.

"Could you show me?"

"You want me to disintegrate someone?" Guinevere asked, appalled.

"No." Loki said and waved his hand. A statue that had a human like appearance appeared out of thin air. "I want you to disintegrate this."

Guinevere nodded, relieved. She concentrated on the statue. The stone began to glow bright orange. Guinevere could feel its heat. She closed her eyes and imagined the ice statue disintegrating before her eyes. She could feel the heat leave her chest. She opened her eyes and the statue was now dust. Loki stood up and scooped up some dust. "Interesting." He kept talking, but he didn't mean for Guinevere to hear. "He'll want a replacement, since I lost the last one to the Avengers. He will not accept failure this time."

"Who are you talking about?" Guinevere asked. She could feel her knees shaking. The toll the infinity stone had taken was beginning.

"No one." Loki snapped. Guinevere collapsed as her knees gave way. Loki turned around to see her on the ground. "Get up." Guinevere tried to stand but could not. "What is your problem?"

"It... It takes a lot out of me. The infinity stone." Guinevere explained, trying to push herself up into a sitting position.

Loki sighed. This would be a setback in his plans. No matter, he thought. The girl could obviously take no more today. He picked her up and began to carry her to her room. Guinevere protested immediately. "Put me down. I can walk by myself, thanks." She snapped.

"Sure you can. You can barely even sit up, let alone walk." Loki said. He took her up the stairs to her room. Once they were inside her room, he set her down on her bed. "Rest." He instructed. He turned to leave.

"What about my chores?" Guinevere asked.

"You can start those tomorrow. I will have your meals sent up to your room for today." Loki said. He was about to leave, when he stopped. He turned back to face her. "I don't know your name."

Guinevere was startled. That was not at all what she expected. She considered telling him it was Jenny, but changed her mind. That was her father's nickname for her. And Wong's. "Gwen." She said, deciding that would be an appropriate new name.

"Gwen." Loki said, nodding. Then he left.

Gwen stared at the spot where he stood. He was not at all what she expected. Sometimes kind, sometimes rude. She wasn't quite sure what to make of it. She thought back to her first thoughts of him. 'Handsdome' she had thought. He still was. He was extremely...

Gwen slapped herself mentally. 'Snap out of it! He's a god and a million years older than you, not to mention the countless number of people he's killed.' She fell asleep slowly, desperately hoping that Loki couldn't read minds.

a/n: Thanks for reading! I really hope you liked it. I have a feeling Loki might be OOC in some scenes. Please review, telling me how I'm doing and any advice you have for me. And thanks to the people who have already favorited/followed/reviewed!


	9. Chapter 9

a/n: Hello again! So I was a bit worried about the end of my last chapter with Loki. I thought he might be OOC. Sorry if he was. Please enjoy! (I don't own Marvel)

Gwen turned in her bed, slowly coming to her senses. She thought she felt another presence in her room. She opened her eyes and closed them immediately. The light was streaming into her room from outside. She opened her eyes again, squinting slightly. She turned away from the window and saw who the presence was.

"Good morning." Loki said, smirking from where he sat in the corner of the room.

Gwen immediately scrambled into a sitting position. "What the h*ll are you doing in my room?"

"You slept in. I told you yesterday you would need to start on your work immediately after breakfast. You're late."

"Oh excuse me if all of my energy was drained yesterday." Gwen retorted.

Loki stood and tossed her an apple. He placed a cup of water on her table. "There's your breakfast. Finish eating quickly and come start on your work."

Gwen munched on the apple gratefully. After the kindness Loki showed her yesterday, she had expected some leniency on the whole chore thing, which was stupid of her. She internally kicked herself for being so stupid. Loki stood by, watching her eat. She chewed faster than gulped down the water. She looked at her glass mournfully. She was still quite thirsty, so she concentrated hard on her glass and the drink she just had and it refilled. She swallowed several more glasses of water then slammed the cup on the table. "Another!" Gwen said, imitating Thor. He had done this very thing when he ate dinner with her and her father.

Luckily, Loki found the crack at his brother somewhat amusing. He grinned slightly, then he lost the grin. "Follow me." Loki said.

Gwen crawled out of bed, stifling a yawn. She was in the same clothes she had worn yesterday. She dug through her drawers and found her green and silver Slytherin button up sweater she bought from Hot Topic. She slipped it on over her tank top and followed Loki, shivering slightly.

Loki lead her to his room. There was a broom and a bucket full of cleaners and rags on the floor by his large window. "Start here, then go to the hall of armor, then the library. Finally, go to the ball room. I'll send for you when it's lunch time."

"If I finish it all in time, could I look at your books?" Gwen asked.

Loki nodded. "If you would like."

"Thanks." Gwen said, pleased. She couldn't wait to get started.

"If you have any questions, you can ask the staff or me. Just call my name and I will arrive. Call me when you've finished." Loki instructed before leaving.

"Yes, your worship." Gwen muttered under her breath.

"Don't call me that." Loki said, reappearing in the room.

Gwen was startled slightly, but recovered quickly. "Sure, Loki." She said sarcastically. *

Loki left the room again. "I'll call you what I want." Gwen murmured. Loki didn't reappear this time. Gwen sighed and grabbed the window cleaner and a rag. She pointed her hand at the broom and it began to sweep by itself. Satisfied, she sprayed the window cleaner at the window and began to scrub with the rag.

She scrubbed the window as high as she could reach. She conjured a step underneath her feet and scrubbed the next level. The broom was finished sweeping behind her. She jumped down and grabbed the pan with only a bit of dirt and dust inside. Gwen glanced around the room for a trash can. She found none. Loki hadn't provided any trash bags. Gwen considered dissolving the trash but she knew she was already running on low energy. Using the infinity stone would drain her even more. Then she had an idea.

She concentrated and brought up the Mirror Dimension. She could feel more power run through her. Because she drew power from the Dark Dimension, she felt more powerful in the Mirror Dimension. Gwen could also feel a slight burning on her forehead. She got that when she helped summon Dormamu. She touched the skin around her eyes. The weird blue and purple eye makeup was there as well.

Gwen shook out the pan of dirt. Then she closed her eyes and when she opened them, she had left the Mirror Dimension. And Loki was standing in front of her.

"What was that?" He asked.

"Taking out the trash." Gwen said holding up the pan. "Sorry, I didn't mean to bring you with me."

"Where were we?" Loki questioned.

"The Mirror Dimension." Gwen answered.

"Why is there purple shading around your eyes?"

"Oh." Gwen waved her hand. "It's nothing. It will be gone in a minute." Loki nodded. "I'm sorry. I'll try not to take you with me next time." Gwen apologized.

Loki waved his hand in the air. A small trash can appeared in front of them. "Use this instead."

"Thanks." Gwen said, but he was already leaving. "Nice to see you too." She muttered.

All that was left was to make his bed. It was already generally neat so she just had to tuck in the sides and straighten the pillows. His sheets and blankets were made of soft silk. Gwen rubbed the material between her fingers. It comforted her. As weird as it sounded to even herself, his bed smelled like... Ice. Just like him. If ice even had a scent, which in a way it did.

Gwen sniffed deeper, enjoying the scent. Then she felt extremely stupid. She blushed deeply and moved on to the armor hall.

As she polished the first statue, a song came to mind. She smiled. It was a song that reminded her of home. The lullaby Gabe sang to her when she had her night terrors. She hummed it, then began to sing it.

"Why do birds, suddenly appear,

Every time, you are near?

Just like me, they long to be, close to you.

Why do stars, fall down from the sky,

Every time, you walk by?

Just like me, they long to be, close to you."

Gwen had a light soprano voice. She had a nice voice. It's not like she took any voice lessons or anything. She just enjoyed singing a lot.

"On the day that you were born, the angels got together,

And decided to create a dream come true.

So they sprinkled moon dust in your hair

And golden starlight in your eyes of blue!

That is why, all the girls in town,

Follow you, all around.

Just like me, they long to be, close to you." **

Gwen sang the last note. It echoed in the long hall. She finished the first suit of armor and was moving on to the next.

"A singer too." Loki's voice called from the end of the hall.

Gwen gasped and dropped her rag. She had been extremely wrapped up in the music. "Geez, what are you? My stalker?" She said.

" I've come to tell you that lunch is served." Loki said, grinning, knowing that he had scared her.

"Oh." Gwen said, somewhat pink in the face. "Alright." She followed him down the halls to the dining room.

There was an assortment of meats on the table, none of which she recognized. She sat in the same spot she sat in yesterday. Loki sat beside her and grabbed a leg of meat that she didn't recognize. Gwen glanced around the table, looking for a meat that looked similar to Earth meats.

Loki watched her as she examined the food. He swallowed his bite. "Is something to your distaste?"

Gwen shook her head. "No. I just don't recognize any of these meats."

Loki grabbed the other leg of the meat he was eating. "Here. This is the most enjoyable of all these meats."

Gwen examined it before taking a large bite. She wasn't picky, but she was a little hesitant when it came to alien meats. The meat was good. It tasted like a mix between ham and turkey. Not the cheap deli kind, but the good kind you got for Christmas and Thanksgiving dinners. She ate it all in five bites. She was starving after her small breakfast this morning. She usually ate a ton of food and then worked it off. Gwen took a large gulp of water. "It's good." Gwen said.

Loki said nothing in response. He finished his meal as well and stood. "Back to work." He said, before leaving.

"As you wish." Gwen said with a mock bow to no one in particular. She marched back to the hall to continue polishing the suits of armor.

She finished the suits quickly and moved on to the library.

Gwen had been looking forward to cleaning this room most of all. She pushed open the large front doors. The smell of old books and paper greeted her. She smiled at the familiar scent. It was pitch black in the room. She conjured up a shield, which produced a little light and made her way to the curtains. She pulled them open and light flooded into the room. She grabbed the feather duster Loki had provided her with and started on the shelves.

There were at least a hundred shelves which were all as high as the ceiling. This particular chore took her quite a while to finish because she couldn't help but read a bit of one book on each shelf.

Some of the books were in English. There were a few in French, Spanish and German. Lots of them were written in the Asgardian language. Gwen felt a longing to know that language so she could read them. She was already pretty much fluent in French, Spanish and German. Her photographic memory was very helpful when it came to that.

As she was cleaning the last shelf, she found one of her favorite books. The Princess Bride. She could only wonder why it was in Loki's library. He didn't strike her as a guy who liked romance novels. More like historical fiction and non fiction. Maybe some science fiction. But definitely not romance novels. Maybe he just found all the books he could and put them here. Besides, The Princess Bride was also an action story.

Gwen wanted to take it, sit down and start reading. But she still had one room left to clean. The ball room.

She walked downstairs to the ball room. She enchanted the broom so it would sweep by itself. She moved to the piano to polish and dust it. After she finished, she couldn't resist playing a song. The one that came to mind was All of Me by John Legend.

Gwen sat on the bench and put her hands in the correct finger positions. She started out with a few simple warm ups, like scales. Then she started the song. As the music started, she couldn't help herself. She began to sing again.

"What would I do without your smart mouth?

Drawing me in and you kicking me out.

You got my head spinning,

No kidding,

I can't pin you down.

What's going on in that beautiful mind?

I'm on your magical mystery ride.

And I'm so dizzy,

Don't know what hit me,

But I'll be alright.

My head's under water but I'm breathing fire.

You're crazy and I'm out of my mind.

'Cause all of me, loves all of you

Love your curves and all your edges

All your perfect imperfections.

Give your all to me,

I'll give my all to you.

You're my end and my beginning,

Even when I lose I'm winning.

'Cause I give you all of me

And you give me all of you."

She took a breath to continue, but at that moment Loki walked in. Gwen moved to quickly, and hit the piano keys which gave off a discordant noise. Gwen flushed bright red and stood up. "Sorry." She said, looking at her feet.

"It's not a problem. Dinner is ready." Loki told her.

They made their way, yet again to the dining room. More of the same food was laid out. They sat down and began to eat.

The room was painfully silent. Gwen couldn't stand awkward silences. She cleared her throat and spoke up. "So, is it true you once tied a rope to the end of a goat's beard and the other end to your..."***

"I'm going to stop you right there." Loki said. Gwen grinned. "Did Thor tell you that story?" He asked, a small smile on his lips.

"So it is true?" Gwen asked, choking on a small bit of meat.

Loki nodded. Gwen burst into laughter. Loki's smile widened. "Where did you hear that story?"

Gwen stopped laughing for a minute. "I read some Norse stories when dad told me we were going with you and Thor to find Odin. That was one of the stories I found." Gwen chuckled at the image that came to mind.

"In my defense," Loki said, "I'd had a lot of mead."

Gwen laughed again. "And did you really have an eight legged horse son thing?"

Loki nodded yet again. "Yes, Sleipnir is my son."

Gwen giggled. "Why would you shape shift into a female horse to court a male horse and have an eight legged horse son?"

Loki chuckled. The first time Gwen had ever heard him laugh. "For many long and complicated reasons. None of which I will go into."

Gwen tried to think of another amusing story she had read, involving Loki. The only other story she had read was of was him killing Baldur, which wasn't so amusing. So all she asked was, "Did you like living on Asgard?"

Loki thought for a long moment before answering. "Sometimes. It was home for a long time. Now... I'm not so sure."

Gwen nodded. She knew how he felt. She liked her home back in California. But her father, Mr. Bates, had ruined it for her. She was always reminded of what she was. An advertisement. An unwanted daughter. Always second. Always in her brother's shadow. Not that Gabe ever tried to make her feel that way, but she felt that way none the less. "What is it like? On Asgard?" Gwen asked.

Loki closed his eyes. He began to describe the palaces and streets of Asgard. The woods where he and Thor hunted together. Back when they got along. Back before Thor began to spend time with Sif, Hogun, Volstagg, and Fandral.

Gwen smiled when he finished. "Asgard sounds like a beautiful place."

"It can be." Loki said.

"Who were your childhood friends?" Gwen asked, curious about his life.

"Thor, mostly. I wasn't really allowed around the other children. They were commoners. As I got older, I spent most of my time in the library." Loki said.

"Oh, come on. You didn't hang around with Thor, Sif, Fandral, Volstagg, and Hogun? They sound like a fun group." Gwen asked, teasing slightly.

"No." Loki snorted. "I preferred to surround myself with intelligent life, thanks."

Gwen laughed loudly. While she hadn't met the other four, she had met Thor. He wasn't stupid, necessarily but he was definitely more brawn then brain. Loki smiled at her. "Did you find any good books in the library?"

Gwen nodded. "Yep. I found quite a few. But most of them are in the Asgardian language. Could you... Could you maybe teach me how to speak Asgardian?" She felt her heart leap in her chest.

Loki considered this, then said, "I'll consider it."

Gwen rolled her eyes, but was smiling. "Thanks for your generosity."

"You're welcome." Loki said. Then he stood. Gwen felt her heart fall. For some reason, she didn't want the conversation to die. "You coming?" Loki asked.

"Where?" Gwen asked, puzzled.

"The library, of course."

"Oh! Yeah. One sec..." Gwen shoved the last if her dinner in her throat and stood. "Let's go." She said around a mouthful of food.

Loki rolled his eyes at the girls manners. Then he turned and led the way to the library.

Gwen had to jog to keep up with his long, quick strides. "So what did you and Thor hunt?" She was curious about the animals on Asgard

"Bilgesnipe mostly. Sometimes stag or deer." He answered.

They arrived at the large doors to the library. He pushed them open. The sun was setting through the windows. Gwen walked over to the shelf she had found the books she wanted to read on. She pulled off The Princess Bride, The Hobbit, The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring, and Sleepy Hollow.

She tossed The Hobbit to Loki. "I'd recommend that one. It's a fantasy about elves, dwarves, wizards, hobbits, dragons and humans. If you're not into fantasy, I would read this one." She tossed him Sleepy Hollow. "It's a horror story about a murderer who chops off people's heads and keeps them."

Loki nodded at her choices. He picked Sleepy Hollow and put aside The Hobbit. Gwen put it back on the shelf, keeping The Princess Bride for herself. "What's that book?" Loki asked, gesturing to her book.

"Oh, its The Princess Bride. It's a book about a prince who wants to start a war, so he hires someone to kidnap his wife, who loves someone else, so they will kill her and start a war."

"Do you enjoy it?" Gwen nodded. "Why didn't you recommend that one?"

"I didn't think you'd like the romantic subplot." Gwen said, shrugging.

"Perhaps, when we're done, we could switch books." Loki suggested.

Gwen smiled. "I'd like that." She was glad she'd found someone who appreciated books like she did. There was no one (other than Wong) at Kamar Taj who enjoyed books like she did.

They returned to their rooms after an hour of talking and reading. Gwen sighed happily. She put her book on her nightstand and grabbed her pajamas. She went into the bathroom to change. When she came out, sh saw someone she did not expect to see. Her brother. Gabe.

After he had died, she had seen him a lot. He was someone she could talk to when she was feeling lonely. She knew he wasn't really there, but it was comforting to her. She hadn't seen him for almost a year.

"What are you doing here?" She hissed at him. It bothered her for some reason, that she was seeing him again.

He shrugged. "You tell me. I'm inside your head."

"Well... It'd be nice if you could leave. I was just becoming sane again." Gwen sat down on her bed and closed her eyes. She felt a movement beside her and a voice. "Am I interrupting something?"

"Yeah, my normal life." Gwen said.

"If you could call this normal. A prisoner of Loki. Yet he treats you so kindly, for a prisoner." Gabe said.

"He's making me scrub his walls everyday. That's not so kind." Gwen snorted.

"Yet, you feel he's different. You think he's kind, sweet. Not evil and rude. Not to mention the fact that you can't stop thinking about him." Gabe gave her a knowing smirk and wriggled his eyebrows stupidly.

"I... What? No! That's... You're so... You're ridiculous you are." Gwen sputtered.

"Am I? I'm in your head. These are your thought. I'm just giving a voice to them." Gabe smirked at her. "Don't lie to yourself. You find him... Appealing. Attractive."

"No! I... I don't! You're the one that's... I don't... Just shut up! He's a killer and a god and I totally don't think that way about him at all!" Gwen said, her voice quieter towards the end of her rant.

Gabe shrugged. "Suit yourself. But you said it yourself yesterday."

Gwen scoffed. "OK so maybe he is good looking. That doesn't mean I like him or anything. You're just being stupid."

"Says the girl talking to her dead brother." Gabe retorted. Then his voice softened. "Be careful. You tell yourself he's not evil, but he is. You know he is. Don't get to friendly with the God of Mischief."

"I told you, I don't think that way about him! He's nice sometimes, yeah, but I don't... I can't... I've only known him for three days for gosh sakes! Four if you count that time in Stuttgart."

"Suit yourself." Gabe said. "But please take my advice."

"I'll take it to heart." Gwen muttered sarcastically. Then she lay down in bed and closed her eyes, trying to push both Gabe's words and Loki out of her mind.

Two Days Earlier.

Stephen Strange was in Manhattan again for the first time in a year. He was taking the elevator up to the penthouse of Stark Tower. There he would meet the other Avengers and beg them for help. Thor was certain they would help them. Stephen knew he was probably right, but was still sick. That was his daughter out there. She was Loki's prisoner and he was doing who knows what with her.

They arrived at the top floor. All the Avengers were gathered in the sitting area. They all stood when they saw them. Stephen shook hands with Tony Stark. "Hello. My name is Tony Stark. It's nice to meet you Doctor Strange."

"Stephen, please. It's nice to meet you as well."

"My name is Steve Rogers. This is Clint Barton, Natasha Romanoff, Wanda Maximoff, Vision, Sam Wilson, James Rhodes. And Thor you already know."

Stephen nodded at them all. "Thank you for meeting with me. I need your help."

Tony and the rest of them sat down. Tony gestured to an open seat. "Sit down. Tell us what you need."

"Well, it all began when Thor came to earth with Loki. I offered to help them in their search for Odin. Then Loki escaped. My daughter, Guinevere, Jenny I call her, came with us because she's smart, extremely talented and she knows how their kind works."

"Their kind?" Steve interrupted.

"Villains. Bad guys. That sort of thing. Anyway we went looking for Loki and we found him in Antarctica. He made a deal with her saying he would spare us if she would stay and help him. And now she's stuck there. I need your help to get her back." Stephen finished.

"What would Loki want with your daughter?" Tony asked. "Also, why did you say she knows how bad guys work?"

"I'm guessing he wanted her infinity stone, but found out only she could operate it." Stephen said bitterly.

"Infinity stone?" Tony asked. "What's that?"

"A stone of immense power. They're found in space." Stephen explained.

"And why does she know villains so well?" Natasha asked.

Stephen sighed. He knew he couldn't keep it from them forever, but he had hoped to delay this moment. "Because she was one."

There was no reply. They stared at him in confusion. "But she's only what? Sixteen? What can she do?" Clint said.

"She's nineteen and she can do magic. And with the infinity stone, she can do a whole lot worse."

"Like what?" Sam asked.

"Like kill people. Disintegrate them. I've seen her do it. It drains her, though. The last time she did it was to destroy our enemies and she was unconscious for three whole days."

"She's killed people?" Natasha asked.

"Yes." Stephen said, his voice heavy. "But if you just knew the whole story." He went into detail about her being manipulated by Dormamu. Her time with him. Her deal to spare his life. Her rescue when she realized the deal had been broken. How she saved the day, in the end. "So yes. She has killed people. She has done some awful things. But now she's changed. She's different."

The Avengers remained silent. Stephen stood. "If you no longer want to help me, its understandable. I'll go now."

He turned to leave, but was stopped by Thor. "I met this girl. She is kind, brave and true. Whatever she may have been, she is no longer that. I say we help him, and put an end to Loki's schemes."

Steve was the next to speak up. "I'm in." They all looked at him. "I believe them. We also need to stop Loki. He may be up to something again."

"Why not?" Tony said. "I'm in too."

There were other murmurs of agreement around the room. "Thank you." Stephen said, sitting back down."

"Alright." Steve said. "Avengers. We're going to need a plan."

They discussed plans for a while before they decided to turn in for the night. Steve showed Stephen to his guest room.

"Your daughter. She would've been about fifteen when Loki invaded earth the first time, right?"

"I think so."

"Would she have been in Germany at that time?" Steve asked. He had recognized the name Guinevere and it wasn't exactly a common name.

"I don't know. I didn't even know she existed until I met her when she was eighteen. Her mother never told me about her and she gave her up for adoption."

Steve nodded. "Did her last name used to be Bates?"

Stephen nodded. "Yeah I think so."

"Long blond hair, skinny but muscular, eyes like yours, good with a sword?" Steve asked.

"Yes! That's her! Why, was she there?" Stephen asked.

"Yeah, she was. She was extremely brave. She took on Loki all by herself and stood up to him while everyone else kneeled. Threw me my shield and tried to help me take on Loki. She's a tough kid." Steve said, remembering the young girl. He had liked her a lot. She was a good kid.

"How come she never brought it up?" Stephen said to no one in particular.

"S.H.I.E.L.D wiped the memories of every civilian present that day." Steve explained. I regretted it immensely. She's a good kid. She could easily be a S.H.I.E.L.D agent."

Stephen nodded. "Thank you for helping me."

"No problem. Good night." Steve said.

"Good night." Stephen said, shutting the door to his room.

a/n: Hope you enjoyed that chapter! The Avengers will be featured some more in this story. Timeline wise, I'm sticking this after the events of Doctor Strange and Thor the Dark to all who have read, favorited, followed, and reviewed on this story! It means a lot to me! Sorry if anyone is OOC. I'm working on it. Please continue with the reviews! I need advice. Feel free to suggest ideas you have for Gwen and Loki. Until next time!

*Kind of stole this part from Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back. Han calls Leia "your worship", she asks him not to call her that and he sarcastically replies with " sure, Leia."

**This song is called "Close to You" by The Carpenters.

***This is an amusing story I found while reading about Norse mythology. Loki kidnapped the goddess Idun to appease the giant Thiazi. Then the gods make him bring Idun back to them. He succeeds and Thiazi is burned to death. Thiazi's daughter, Skadi, is angry and demands that the gods make her laugh as restitution for her father's death. Only Loki is able to do so. He ties a rope to the end of a goat's beard and the other end to his testicles. They have a tug of war and the giantess can't help but laugh. Found this story and the story about Sleipnir on norse mythology. Org. Put a dash between norse mythology and tap on Loki's name to read this story.


	10. Chapter 10

a/n: Hello again! Sorry it took so long to update. I'm working on it. Please leave a review, telling me how I'm doing, if you have the time! I'm also quoting a lot of The Princess Bride, by William Goldman in this chapter. I don't own that book. I'm just quoting it. Enjoy this chapter! (I don't own Marvel)

When Gwen woke up that morning, Loki wasn't sitting in the corner. It was Gabe again. Gwen groaned in frustration and threw a pillow at him. Of course, it didn't effect him. She shoved her face into her other pillow. "Go away." She mumbled. "This is so stupid. I'm talking to myself. Just go away. I'm trying to become sane." Gabe merely smirked knowingly at her. "Screw you. Have I mentioned that I hate you?"

Gabe hummed. "I know I'm not Loki but there's no need to treat me like that."

"Are we going to go through this again? I don't feel that way about him." Gwen said, yawning.

"Well, no offense, but you didn't exactly convince me last night. Nor, I think, did you convince yourself." Gabe said.

"Well, what should I do to convince you?" Gwen said, her voice full of sarcasm.

"Well, for starters, quit flirting with the guy." Gabe said, examining his nails.

Gwen went bright pink. "I'm not flirting with him! I'm being nice and talking about books."

"For a girl who has had one other boyfriend and did the exact same thing with him, yeah, your flirting with him." Gabe said.

"I'm... I'm not... I'm just gonna block you out. You're no longer here. Just, go away. Leave me alone." Gwen said. Then she grabbed her clothes, stomped into the bathroom and slammed the door.

When she came out, she felt extremely refreshed. The water was surprisingly warm for living in the Arctic. Outside, it was still dark. She grabbed her book and sat down on her bed. Gabe seemed to have disappeared. She opened her book gratefully and began reading.

This book had been a favorite of hers since she saw the movie when she was ten. Gabe had shown her it and she found out there was a book. She knew she had to read it the minute she found out it was a book as well as a movie.

About an hour later, the sun began to rise. Gwen put her book down and went to the main dining area for breakfast. Loki wasn't there, so she sat and waited for him. When he did show up, he greeted her politely.

"Good morning."He said, before sitting down and loading his plate.

"Morning." Gwen replied, taking some food for herself. It was good, but she missed normal breakfast foods like toast or cereal or bacon. Gosh, she really missed bacon.

They ate in silence. It seemed even more awkward now because they had talked so easily last night. Loki was, as usual, the first to finish his meal. He cleared his throat. "I'll come for you when its lunch." Was all he said.

Gwen groaned. She had forgotten about chores. She took one last swig of water before heading to work.

She pushed open the door to Loki's bedroom to find the man himself, sitting on his bed reading. "Hope I won't be a bother." Gwen said, only somewhat sarcastic. She didn't like to be interuppted while reading, but it was his own fault that she would be interrupting him. Loki gave a noncommittal shrug, but didn't look up.

Gwen set to work, scrubbing his windows and sweeping his floor. Loki kept his eyes on his book, so Gwen could sneak the occasional glance at him. His shoulder length black hair was wavy and behind his shoulders. Normally Gwen didn't like long hair on guys (especially if they put in a pony tail or man bun) but she couldn't help but think that it looked attractive on Loki. He was tall and thin. He had amazing green eyes with the tiniest bit of blue in them.

"Enjoying the view?" Loki said without looking up, turning the page of his book idly.

Gwen blushed furiously and turned back to the windows. "Oh yeah." She muttered, trying for a sarcastic tone. Gosh, get a grip! Gwen told herself. Quit acting like an idiot and focus. But it was a bit hard to focus when she could feel his eyes on her back. Or when he was in the room period.

"Well, I'm glad you like it." Loki said, his voice seductive. Gwen blushed even deeper and tried to block out any thought of Loki. She sang a song in her head. The first one that came to mind. The alphabet. She never felt so flustered. She tried not to let it show. But she could tell Loki was enjoying making her feel uncomfortable. She could almost hear him smirking.

She finished scrubbing the last window and jumped down from her pedestal that she made from magic. Gwen turned around and Loki was right behind her. She tried not to let on anything as she moved away from him to grab her supplies. She turned around to face him again and tried for a seductive tone of her own. "Its been fun, your worship." She gave a small curtsey and left the room, feeling extremely stupid.

Gwen moved down to the hall of armory. She tried to sort out her feelings. Every time he even used a suggestive tone, her imagination went wild. She hated herself for it. She hated being so distracted by him. She hated him, too. She scrubbed furiously at the suit of armor, hating everything, but mostly herself for being so stupid. She wasn't here to play maid and stare at Loki. She was here to labor in his house and help him with whatever it was he wanted to do with her infinity stone. Well, she wasn't having that.

This needed to stop. She needed to get away. She would leave. Go back to her dad where everything was normal and she didn't have a stupid attraction to some murdering god. She just needed to plan her escape. She didn't have her sling ring, but Loki did. If she could find where he was hiding it, she could leave in the night. He wouldn't know she was gone till morning. And even if he did find her after that, she would have the help of her dad and Thor and maybe even Thor's friends the Avengers. They could easily take Loki, keep him as a prisoner. Gwen actually grinned at that last thought. Make him the prisoner, see how he liked it.

She was getting quicker with her cleaning because she had finished her tasks when Loki came to fetch her.

They had another quiet meal. Gwen ate as quickly as possible. Loki was watching her shove the food into her mouth. Gwen swallowed a large bite and caught his eye. Though the situation was much different, Gwen repeated his earlier words. "Enjoying the view?"

Loki didn't blush or look away. He shrugged and said, "I might be." His tone yet again suggestive.

"Well don't get used to it, your highness." Gwen told him before she could stop herself. She cursed herself in her head. Way to give away the plan, you giant moron!

"Oh? And why's that?" Loki asked in a bored tone, no longer looking at her but focusing on his meal.

"My dad is coming. He'll have Thor with him. Maybe he'll bring your old friends the Avengers. Then what?" Gwen said, to cover up her plan to escape. "I believe you're familiar as to what happens when you piss off the Avengers?"

Loki actually chuckled. "Oh yes."

"Well than you should know that pissing them off again is probably not the greatest move." Gwen replied.

"You and Stark will get along well, when he comes." Loki told her. "You seem so sure that they will come. What makes you think that they will?"

"Dad won't leave me here. And Thor wants to stop you and get you back. The old you, I mean. He doesn't want to believe it, but he hopes that the old you is still in there." She said. "You don't believe its in there either."

"Its not. It never was." Loki said, his tone cold.

Gwen gave him a small smile. "I thought the same about me. I'm irredeemable, no hope for me. I was wrong. No one is too far gone. Not even you. Just people who refuse to accept that they can change."

Loki gave her a cold sneer. "Sentiment. Its useless. Its too late."

"If you say so." Gwen said, finishing her drink. "I'll be in the library." She stood and walked away.

Gwen started towards the library, but made a detour. She marched up the nearby staircase. Loki had told her before that it was off limits. If her sling ring wasn't in here, than she wasn't sure where it would be.

At the top of the stairs, there was a small door. She glanced over her shoulder, to make sure he wasn't following her, before pushing the door. It didn't budge. Gwen swore softly under her breath. She tried again, a little harder and it still didn't open. She gave it some thought before waving her hand and putting it against the lock. After some twisting, the lock popped open.

It was pitch black. Gwen created a bit of light, using magic, and walked in a bit further. The room was just about empty. Or it seemed that way. She was so distracted that she almost tripped over the leg of a chair. She examined the chair. It didn't look like anything special. Just an ordinary wooden chair.

The more she stared at it, the more she felt compelled to sit in it. Slowly, she lowered herself into the chair.

The minute she sat down, the scene changed. Gwen gave a large gasp and jumped up. She tried to calm her breathing as she glanced around. She was on a large rock like surface. It was dark. The stars were shining. She saw a planet in the distance. Space. She was in space.

Gwen took deep breaths to avoid panicking. Clearly Loki had made this portal into space. In front of her was a large stack of rocks.

She considered trying to go back. But if her sling ring was here, she had to find it. She rubbed her arms to warm them and took a few steps forward. Behind the stack of rocks was a large stairway. The steps were huge and lit with a purple glow.

Something in her told her to go up there. Another part of her screamed at her to run in the opposite direction. She went with her gut and moved to the stairs. She could almost feel the power that eminated from the top of the stairs. Something or someone powerful was up there.

She put her right foot on the first step and pushed herself up. The step vibrated beneath her feet and the light grew brighter. She continued up the large steps.

She was almost at the top when someone grabbed her arm. A hand covered her mouth. She fought against it but the arms were too strong.

A voice whispered in her ear. "Stay still. Don't move." It was Loki. He pushed her shoulders and she knelt down. Loki knelt beside her and whispered, "Stay here. Be quiet." He stood and moved up the stairs.

Gwen watched, somewhat terrified. Her heart was still pounding from the scare Loki gave her. The look on Loki's face terrified her. Not his anger, but he was scared. Scared of whatever was up there.

"What is it, Loki?" A deep voice boomed.

"My lord, I came to give you an update. On the stone." Loki said.

"Proceed." The deep voice said.

"It isn't ready yet. It needs more time." Loki said. "I can get it ready. I just need more time. I won't fail you."

"No. You won't. After your betrayal, I forgave you. If you fail me again, I will show you the true meaning of pain. You thought I was harsh last time, if you fail, you will beg for that kind of treatment." Gwen shuddered with fear.

"Yes, my lord." Loki said. Gwen could hear footsteps and Loki reappeared. He grabbed her arm harshly and pulled her down the stairs.

The chair was back. They sat in the chair and they were back in the dark room.

"Ummm... What the h*** was that?" Gwen asked. "Who was that? What are you doing?"

"None of your business." Loki snarled. "You were not to come in here. If you were found, you don't know what would've happened." He was still holding her arm. Gwen ripped it out of his grasp. "Get out!" Loki suddenly shouted. "Now!"

Gwen fled from his presence. She ran to her room and grabbed her jacket. She pulled it on, unaware of the tears pouring down her cheeks. She slammed the door to her room shut and ran out the large front door.

The harsh Arctic winds blew hard. The snow flew through the air, making it almost impossible to see more than three feet in front of you. Gwen wiped away the tears before they froze to her cheeks. She had no idea why she was crying. Fear she supposed. Whoever was at the top of those stairs scared her like nothing ever had before. It was almost like the voice of Dormamu. Yet it was so much more terrifying.

Gwen pulled the jacket tighter around her slim figure. If she was out here for much longer, she would get hypothermia. She didn't care though. She would rather die out here than go back there.

As Gwen marched through the snow, there was a low growl. She froze, turning on the spot. There was a shadow behind her. It was hard to make out what it was, because of all the snow. It wasn't very tall. Maybe as tall as her. Or so she thought. As it drew closer, it became so much larger. Maybe double her height and at least triple her weight. There was another low growl and Gwen knew what it was. A polar bear.

Gwen cursed and conjured a weapon. The wind blew her jacket open, which caused her to shake with cold. The polar bear slashed at her with its claws. Gwen instinctively held up her arm to block it.

There was a burning pain in her arm and the snow around her was stained red. Gwen lunged with the weapon she held. It barely scratched the face of the animal, but the bear felt it. It roared in anger and slashed at her again. It caught the end of her leg this time.

Gwen cursed again in pain and frustration. She couldn't get close enough to stab it and make it fatal. Not knowing what else to do, she turned and ran. Bad idea. The bear chased her.

Gwen stumbled over a large rock that was buried in the snow. She could hear the bear. It was right behind her. She crouched down and ducked her head, but nothing ever came.

Gwen heard a gasp of pain. She looked up. It was Loki again. He was standing over her. The bear had gotten his back.

Gwen was confused by Loki's actions, but didn't have time to think them over. She was now angry. She conjured up another weapon and sent it flying at the bear. It impaled the bear through the eye. The bear growled in anger and pain before falling at their feet. Dead.

Gwen kicked it a few times in anger. "Stupid son of a b****! Piece of s***!"

Loki gave a chuckle behind her. Gwen turned, only just remembering that he was there. Loki opened his mouth to say something before falling down to the snow.

"No, no, no!" Gwen cried, running to kneel by Loki's unmoving form. "No, Loki. Please don't be dead. Please. What am I supposed to do?" Gwen called up to the sky. "Help me!"

Loki woke up. "I'm still here."

"Oh, thank goodness." Gwen breathed. "I thought I was stuck out here."

"You can admit it. You would be upset if I was dead." Loki groaned as he sat up.

Gwen snorted. "Hardly." She lied through her teeth. "I just didn't want to have to carry you back to your house."

Loki raised his eyebrows. "If you say so." He pushed himself up into a standing position. Gwen grabbed his arm and put it over her shoulder. "I... I don't need your help." Loki said.

Gwen immediately threw his arm away. Loki collapsed and landed on his hands and knees. Gwen smirked at him. It felt good to be the one smirking for once. "Call me when your ego allows you to be helped." Gwen said before walking away.

"Alright." Loki called. "You mortals are extremely aggravating, but I don't think I've ever met one quite as aggravating as you."

Gwen pulled him up and his arm draped across her shoulders yet again. "Thank you. I don't think anyone has ever said anything that nice to me." Gwen told him with a sweet smile.

"Well, I'm glad I could be of service." Loki replied, he said between deep breaths. It was almost forgotten, the enimity between the two. It seemed to return when they arrived at the castle. There was no playful banter or joking. Only cold silence.

Gwen helped the Asgardian into his bedroom. She sat him down on a chair. "Wait here." She said, before marching into his bathroom to grab a wet rag and soap, to prevent infection. Could a god get an infection? It didn't really matter. If she was going to heal it, it needed to be cleaned.

Gwen was about to go back out when she stopped. Why should I help him? After everything he's done? He's just going to hand me over to that man at the top of the stairs anyway. Gwen thought angrily. She was about to march out there to give him a piece of her mind when she remembered herself. There were people at Kamar Taj who hadn't wanted to help her. They did anyways, mostly thanks to Stephen Strange and Wong. If she didn't forgive Loki but demanded forgiveness from them, she would be considered a hypocrite. He had also just saved her life. It was childish anyway. She would go out there and face him. She would help him and she wasn't going to that man at the top of the stairs.

Gwen went to Loki's side. He was leaning back in the chair with his eyes closed. Gwen tapped his shoulder gently. He opened his eyes and sat up straight. He relaxed when he saw who it was. "I need you to take off your shirt." Gwen told him, trying not to blush at the remarks that he might make that were currently running through her head.

Loki gave a small smirk. "I thought you might never ask."

Gwen sighed, turning slightly pink. "Just do it, so I can take a look at your cuts."

Loki stiffened. "No."

Gwen rolled her eyes. "Would you just do it? I need to clean the wound to heal it. And you need to remove your shirt for that."

"No." Loki repeated.

"Would you just do it?" Gwen said, exasperated. Loki said nothing. "This is stupid."

"Yes, it is." Loki said, with a nod.

"Quit being stupid and take off the d*** shirt." Gwen said. Loki stubbornly refused. Gwen threw up her hands. "Fine. Bleed out, for all I care." She snapped and began to walk away.

Loki stood up behind her. "Fine." He said. He turned his back to her and removed his shirt in one quick swipe.

Gwen gasped at what she saw. The claw marks were there and they were fresh. But that wasn't the most horrifying part of what she saw. His back was covered in long lashes, as though he had been whipped. Where his skin should've been, there were scars and burns. Loki turned to face her. His chest was covered in similar marks. "Enjoying the view?" Loki said, but there was no humor in his voice now. Just cold contempt.

With shaking hands, Gwen grabbed the rag. "Turn around." She said, trying and failing to keep her voice steady.

Loki complied and Gwen gently washed the blood out of his fresh cuts. Loki tensed at first touch, but soon relaxed.

As soon as all the blood was gone and the cuts were clean, Gwen placed her hand on a section of the long cut. She could feel the warmth her hand radiated as she healed him. With her other hand, she wiped away a tear. How could anyone be so harsh? Gwen thought. Its absolutely sickening. "Who did this to you?" Gwen whispered.

Loki didn't answer. Gwen moved her hand over the cut. "It doesn't matter." Loki replied after a while.

"Don't say that." Gwen said. "Who was it?"

Loki stayed silent. "It was him, wasn't it?" Gwen asked. "That man at the top of the stairs. The one who wants my infinity stone."

"He's not a man." Loki said.

"Whatever he is, I'm not helping him. And neither are you. Not anymore." Gwen said. She moved on to healing his older wounds. "Promise me you won't go back there."

"Why do you care?" Loki retorted.

"I'm not a big fan of anyone who does this to someone else." Gwen replied bitterly. "I heard what he said. If you fail he'll do this again. Only, it will be worse. I won't let that happen."

"You can't stop him. No one can." Loki told her, his voice quiet. "You join him or you die."

"That's what I thought about Dormamu. But it was bulls***. You can be rid of him. I can help you be rid of him, if you let me help you." I told him. "We can tell Thor and the Avengers and together, we can bring him down."

Loki gave a small snort. "Because they'll be so willing to help me."

"Maybe not you, but they'll help me. And they'll help Thor. And we'll help you." Gwen said. She finished healing all the wounds on his back. There were still a few scars but it looked much better than it did before. "Turn around."

Loki turned to face her. "Even with their help, we couldn't possibly take him down. He's too powerful."

Gwen shook her head. "I refuse to believe that." She said. "We can do it. But you need to be ready to help us."

Loki was silent as she spoke. "Why?" He finally asked. "Why are you helping me? I was going to hand you over to him. You knew that. You heard me. Why?"

Gwen shrugged. "Well, I like to believe that people can change. Even you. And... Well, you just saved my life. I kinda owe you."

"I've already told you. Its too late for me." Loki said.

Gwen looked him in his eyes. "No its not. Stop saying that." She said firmly.

"Why not? Its the truth..." Loki began.

"No!" Gwen said sharply, cutting off his words. "If there's no chance for you, than there's no chance for me. I won't believe it."

"Gwen..."

"Shut up." Gwen said.

"We're different. You had a reason to change. Why should I bother?" Loki asked fiercly.

Gwen froze. She wanted to blurt out the answer that was on her tongue. Me! Do it for me! But she didn't. After a minute of silence, she said, "Do it for yourself. Or for Thor."

"Neither of them mean anything to me." Loki said in a cold voice. Gwen felt her heart break for him. He didn't think his family cared about him. And he didn't care about himself.

"Then, do it for me." Gwen choked out. She looked up at him. His expression was somewhat stunned.

Gwen removed her hand from his chest and grabbed his hand. "Please. Think about it." She said quietly, before walking away.

Gwen threw herself onto her bed. She wanted to scream and cry. This whole thing just became a lot more complicated.

Gwen shoved her face into her pillow. She needed to sort out her feelings. She cared for Loki, that was obvious. But did she love him? Or was he just a good friend? It was all too much. Gwen grabbed The Princess Bride and began to read. She needed a distraction.

Buttercup was going to tell Westley that she loves him. "I love you. I know this must come as something of a surprise, since all I've ever done is scorn you and degrade you and taunt you, but I have loved you for several hours now, and every second, more."

Gwen stopped reading and slammed the book shut. It was making her even more confused. She couldn't love Loki. How could she? She had just hated him moments ago. She didn't love him. Gwen assured herself and read on. Buttercup finished a long speech about how much she loved Westley. Westley merely closed the door in her face. Buttercup was devastated.

She stopped yet again when she came across another passage. "It was all part of growing up. You got these little quick passions, you blinked, and they were gone." Yes, that must be it. That was the answer. That was what Gwen was feeling. She read on. "You forgave faults, found perfection, fell madly; then the next day the sun came up and it was over. Chalk it up to experience, old girl, and get on with the morning. Buttercup stood, made her bed, changed her clothes, combed her hair, smiled, and burst out again in a fit of weeping. Because there was a limit to just how much you could lie to yourself."

Gwen slammed the book closed again and threw it across the room. She stood up and went into the bathroom, slamming the door closed behind her.

Breathing heavily, she stared at herself in the mirror. "He means nothing to me." Gwen said out loud. Then again. And again. She said it over and over until she felt convinced. She smiled at herself in the mirror and dropped to the floor, crying softly.

Because no matter how many times she said it, the book was right. There was a limit to just how much you could lie to yourself.

Avengers Tower, Manhattan

Stephen Strange paced in his room. No matter how hard he tried, sleep wouldn't come. He decided to leave his room to get something to drink.

He walked into the kitchen and opened the fridge. He grabbed a bottle and grabbed a glass from the cupboard.

"Can't sleep?" A voice asked. Stephen turned in the direction of the noise to see Tony Stark.

Stephen shook his head and finished pouring his drink. "You want some?" He asked him.

"Sure." Tony replied. Stephen poured him a drink. "I'm sorry about your daughter."

"You don't need to be sorry. Its not your fault." Stephen muttered before tipping his drink back.

"We'll get her back. I promise." Tony assured him.

"Yeah. If she's still there." Stephen said, taking another swig.

"Loki wouldn't take her just to kill her. He needs her for something, like you said. The infinity stone, or whatever. I know Loki. He's not stupid. He knows we're coming. He'll need a bargaining chip. That's where your daughter comes in. He'll hold her until he can use her." Tony said. Then he gave a sad smile. "Its not terribly comforting, is it?"

Stephen gave a dry chuckle. "No, its not." He poured himself another glass. "How do you know Loki so well?" He asked a few moments later.

"I'm good at reading people." Tony said.

"Well its a good thing someone can predict Loki." Stephen said dryly, taking another drink.

"I'll say goodnight." Tony said.

"Goodnight." Stephen said. He walked away. "And thank you."

He turned and gave him a tiny smile. "No problem."


	11. Chapter 11

a/n: Hello again! Please enjoy this chapter! If you have the time, please, please, please, leave a review telling me how I'm doing! It would be really helpful. Thanks to those who have already followed, favorited, and reviewed! You guys are amazing! (I don't own Marvel)

Gwen sat on her bed with her knees tucked in to her chest. She slowly rocked back and forth, still thinking about the nights revelation. She couldn't deny it now. Not to herself, anyway. She loved Loki. She loved him like she had never loved anyone or anything before.

The thought made her want to sing and laugh and dance and cry all at once. She hadn't done any of those things but cry though. She couldn't think why. It was a mix of feelings of pure, unadulterated joy and horrible, untamed fear. She loved him, everything was perfect. She loved him, nothing was certain.

Gwen thoughts were mostly on Loki but her mind occasionally drifted off towards her father. How would he react when he found out that his daughter was in love with the God of Mischief? Would he be angry? Most likely. Would he be shocked? Definitely. Why wouldn't he, after what Loki had put them through? After he had kidnapped her? He had no idea what Loki was doing or had done to her.

The sun was slowly rising over the frozen tundra. Gwen stretched her legs out of the position she had been in since last night. She hadn't slept at all. Just stared at her wall, trying to sort out what her feelings were and what she should do. She had decided not to tell Loki. After all, the very thought that he would reciprocate her feelings was impossible. Laughable, even. The thought made Gwen's heart ache like never before. But she knew it was true and nothing she said or did would change that. Gwen grabbed a fresh set of clothing and popped into her shower, where she tried to work out how she would behave around Loki.

*A*A*

Loki paced back and forth in his own bedroom. Gwen's words still rang in his head. "Promise me you won't go back there." He didn't know what to do. Going back to Thanos was unpredictable. But then again, so was staying away from him.

The real conflict didn't have anything to do with his own personal welfare. It was Gwen's. After all she had done the other day, could he just hand her over to Thanos? Normally, the answer would be yes. He would do it to anyone else. But, over the time he had spent with the girl, he had come to enjoy her company. Even looked forward to seeing her.

He had no idea why. He had never cared for any other mortals welfare before. He had been wanting to take over their planet not long ago. Yet, here he was, about to make a huge decision and he was conflicted because- could it be true?- he actually cared for a young mortal girl.

The thought was infuriating. He was Loki of Asgard. He was the God of Mischief. He was a prince, destined to be a king. He wasn't supposed to have feelings. He wasn't supposed to care about anyone.

Still, he did. No matter how hard he tried to push those feelings aside, they were still there. Buried deep in his skull.

Though he had no idea what those feelings meant, he knew that he could not ignore them. He didn't want to hand Gwen over to Thanos. It should've been simple. Let her go. Leave this place. Turn himself into Thor and go to prison. Warn him about Thanos. Thanos would come, anyway. He wanted the Earth destroyed. But turning himself in meant letting the girl go. And that meant he'd lose the one person who didn't look at him like the monster he was. The one person who cared about what happened to him and who cared about him.

It was a hard decision to make. But he made up his mind. He wasn't certain of the future, but this much was clear. He was not ready for breakfast.

*A*A*

Gwen stood fidgeting before her door, trying to work up the nerve to go through it. The idea of seeing Loki, of being so close to him, made her sick and giddy all at once. Taking a deep breath, she pushed open her door and took slow, measured steps down to the dining hall.

Loki was already there. He was taking tiny bites of his breakfast. When he saw her, he stood up and stayed standing until she had sat down. Gwen gave a small cough. "Good morning." She said. Her voice cracked and she cursed her stupidity.

"Good morning." Loki said in a measured tone. He was silent for a moment. "I... uhhh... I wanted to... ummm... I wanted to, ah, thank you. For what you did and what you said. Last night."

Gwen shrugged her shoulders as if it couldn't possibly matter. In truth, she didn't trust herself to speak again. She picked up her fork with shaking hands and dropped it on the ground. Face flaming, she bent down to pick it up. Loki did as well and their hands brushed momentarily as they both reached for the fork. Gwen felt her face heat up even more as she choked out a quiet thank you and began to eat again. Could you be any more obvious, you idiot? Quit blushing and behave like a normal human being!

They didn't speak the entire meal. Loki watched her as she ate, wondering why she was being so quiet. When she finished, he cleated his throat. "I need to tell you something."

Gwen turned to him but didn't trust herself enough to look into his eyes. "I thought about what you said all night and..." Loki paused and swallowed hard. "And I've decided not to help Thanos anymore. You are free to go." He placed her sling ring on the table and pushed it towards her.

Gwen felt her heart drop into her stomach. Leave? Now? She couldn't. She didn't want to. Not after what she had just discovered. Yes, being around him was hard. But being without him would he even harder. Knowing that she would go downstairs and the first face she saw wouldn't be his. It made her sick to her stomach. She opened her mouth to say something, but no words came out. Instead, she stood up, turned, and ran from the table, leaving a confused Loki in her wake.

Gwen ran down the hall and dashed into the library. It was still dark, but she didn't bother to light it. She crouched down and tucked her knees up to her chest. She didn't cry this time. She just felt empty.

She couldn't leave. She just found out that she loved Loki. And now she might never see him again. The thought was unbearable. Gwen's heart broke on those last words. To never see Loki again? What would be the point of... Anything? How could she continue without him? Oh, she could. She knew she could. She would return to Kamar Taj and live her day to day life as she normally did. But a part of her would be missing. She could never fill that hole, no matter how hard she tried.

Maybe it wasn't so bad, another part of her thought. Maybe it would be better if she never saw him again. After all, Loki didn't and never would feel the same way about her. She might be torturing herself if she spent so much time staring at him, knowing that he would never feel the same way about her. And why would he? She was just a mortal. A tiny speck within an infinite universe. Of no real consequence to anyone or anything. She had no skills that Loki could not find in any other women. She wasn't exceptionally beautiful. She was decent, but not one that made men's heads turn in astonishment when she passed. She wasn't terribly clever or smart. When it came down to it, she really was nothing.

Especially when she looked at Loki. A god. An immortal being. Dead clever. Beautiful and perfect features. Skilled in so many areas. He was special, that was for sure. And when you put Gwen next to Loki, Gwen felt so small. She was amazed that Loki even noticed her, some days.

Maybe leaving would be better. That way, she wouldn't have any hope that he might glance in her direction. That way, she could get her mind off of him, even if only for a moment, and focus on something else. That way, she wouldn't be so miserable.

Gwen thought and thought for maybe an hour. Loki would be wondering where she was. She sighed, stood up, and left the darkened library. She walked up the stairs to Loki's room and knocked gently on his door. "Enter." She heard his voice call from inside.

She slowly pushed the door open. Loki was standing by his window, looking outside. "I've come to say good bye. And sorry for running out like that. I just never saw that coming."

Loki hesitated a few moments before speaking. "Its what you want, isn't it?" He didn't turn around to face her.

"Yes." Gwen said, and her voice cracked again. She shook her head angrily and cleared her throat. "Yes. It is." She paused before speaking again. "You won't go back to this Thanos guy the minute I leave, will you?"

Loki shook his head, still not turning around. "No. You have my word."

Gwen nodded. "Good."

Neither of them spoke. Gwen stared at his back, wishing he would turn around, so she could see his face one last time. So she could look into those beautiful green eyes for the last time. So she could properly say good bye. He didn't. "Well, good bye. And thank you." Gwen said and she grabbed the sling ring off his bed and turned to leave.

The tears started now. She could feel them building in her eyes, threatening to spill over. She used all her willpower to hold them back. "Wait, one moment." Loki called from behind her.

Gwen had to force herself to turn around. She looked into Loki's beautiful green eyes and he looked into her blue green ones. "You promised me, on the first day, that you would play a song for me. So I could hear some Midgardian music. Would you still be willing to do so?"

Gwen gave a sad smile. "I would like that."

The two walked side by side to the ball room. Gwen walked slowly, wanting to drag out this moment as long as possible. Loki went at her pace. Neither of them said a word to the other. Gwen wanted to say something. She wanted it to be like before. But at the same time, she didn't. If it was like before, she wouldn't know how deep her feelings for Loki truly were. But maybe that would be better. Then she wouldn't be in so much pain.

When they arrived at the piano, Gwen had no idea what to play. So she pulled out her phone (which she kept for no other reason then it was her phone) and scrolled through her play lists, till she found the one titled "piano". This was a list of songs that she could play on the piano. She clicked on the shuffle button so it would choose a random song. It chose Hallelujah by Leonard Cohen.

She turned her phone off. Of course it had to be that one. This one would make her cry on any normal day, but today of all days, it would be so much worse. Luckily, she had this one memorized. She sat down on the piano bench and began with a few warm ups. Then she turned to Loki and cleared her throat. "This song is called Hallelujah by Leonard Cohen. This is one of my favorite songs."

"Are you going to sing it as well?" Loki asked before he could stop himself.

Gwen shrugged. "Do you want me to?"

Loki nodded. "Of course."

"OK." Gwen said. She cleared her throat and began the introduction. Then came the words.

"I've heard there was a secret chord,

That David played and it pleased the Lord,

But you don't really care for music, do you?

It goes like this, the fourth, the fifth, the minor fall, the major lift,

The baffled king composing, hallelujah.

Hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah.

Your faith was strong but you needed proof

You saw her bathing on the roof,

Her beauty in the moonlight, overthrew you.

She tied you to a kitchen chair, she broke your throne, she cut your hair,

And from your lips she drew the hallelujah.

Hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah."

Gwen choked on the last note. She cleared her throat quickly and blinked a few times to clear the tears.

"Baby I've been here before,

I know this room, I've walked this floor.

I used to live alone before I knew you.

I've seen your flag on the marble arch, love is not a victory march,

Its a cold and its a broken hallelujah.

Hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah.

There was a time you let me know,

What's really going on below

But now you never show it to me do you?

And remember when I moved in you,

The holy dove was moving too

And every breath we drew was hallelujah.

Hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah."

The tears came hard, now. Streaming down her cheeks and dripping on her arms. This next part was the hardest part of the song.

"Maybe there's a God above,

But all I've ever learned from love,

Is how to shoot at someone who outdrew you.

And its not a cry you can hear at night,

Its not somebody who has seen the light,

Its a cold and its a broken hallelujah.

Hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah."

She lifted her hands from the keys and stood quickly. She needed to leave. Now. It was torture. Staying here. And it always would be. More tears spilled from her eyes, but she didn't bother to wipe them away. "Good bye." She whispered, not looking at him, and she started to walk away.

Loki stopped her. He put his hand under her chin and gently tilted her head up so that she was looking at him. He brushed his thumb across her cheek, wiping away the tears.

"Don't." Gwen choked out. "Please, don't." Doesn't he know how much harder he is making this? The answer, of course, was no. He didn't know any of her thoughts. He was just doing it to comfort her.

"What is it?" Loki asked, his voice gentle. Gwen had never heard him speak that way.

"I..." Gwen started. She wanted to tell him how much she loved him. And how much she already missed him. But she just shook her head and began to walk away.

A part of her was screaming. Screaming at her not to leave. To stay and tell him the truth. To tell him how much she loved him, despite not knowing him for very long. That was the part that had shocked her most. How could she love him if she barely knew him? She had tried over and over to tell herself that because of this, she couldn't possibly love him. But if she didn't love him, then how did you explain all the feelings she felt when she thought of him? How he made her happy and sad and terrified all at once? How she felt as though she was crushed when she thought of him going back to Thanos, or when she thought of those scars on his back? There was no other way to explain it.

But she needed to leave. She wasn't the one for him and that was that. She couldn't make him happy and if he was unhappy, then Gwen knew she would be unhappy. She couldn't do that to him. So it was better that she left now and suffered in silence.

She forced herself not to look back. If she looked back, she might do something desperate and stupid. She wouldn't let herself do that. She wouldn't force her feelings on Loki.

"Could you do me a favor?" Loki called after her. She stopped, but didn't turn around. "When you get back, would you send Thor to collect me? I'll tell him everything."

Gwen paused. She hadn't thought of that. Would Thor believe him? She would, of course, back him up, but what would happen to him? Would he be forgiven? Would he be punished and hurt for his crimes? Or, even worse, executed? Gwen couldn't bear the thought. "What will they do to you if I do?" Gwen called over her shoulder.

Loki was silent for a minute before speaking. "I don't know. But I will accept the consequences of my actions."

Gwen whirled around. "Why? What changed? Its only been one day and yet, you're so different now, Loki. Why?" She demanded.

Loki looked up from the floor and into her eyes. "You know why." He said quietly.

Gwen shook her head. "No, I really don't. So just tell me." She walked back towards Loki now.

Loki stared at her some more before taking a few steps towards her, closing what little space remained between them. "You." He breathed, taking her hand. He gently pressed his lips to it, then let go of her hand. "You can leave now. Just, please tell Thor."

Gwen was breathing heavily now. Her heart raced and thumped against her chest. Without thinking, without realizing what she was doing, she blurted out the words before she could stop herself. "I love you!"

Gwen was shocked by her own actions. She clamped a hand over her mouth. She turned around and began to walk away again, cursing her own stupidity and hating herself. What is my problem?

Loki grabbed her arm before she got too far away. He turned her around to face him. She refused to look him in his eyes. He put his hand under her chin and gently tilted her head up, yet again. She still had a tear or two on her cheeks. Loki brushed them away and pressed his mouth to hers.

Gwen felt frozen. She had never expected this. She closed her eyes and drank it all in. Reflexively, her hands went up and around his shoulders. She put one hand in his hair and pressed herself harder against him. Loki dug one hand into her hair and put the other on her lower back, pulling her closer to him. They stayed this way for what felt like a lifetime before Gwen broke away. She sucked in several deep breaths, and gave a light, breathy laugh. "I didn't see that coming."

Loki chuckled as well, and pulled her back in. Gwen resisted the urge to groan out loud as Loki kissed her. He was the only thing left for her. He was all there was. The feel of his body against hers, his hand in her hair and on her back, the scent of ice coming from him. He even tasted like ice.

It seemed like it would never end. But, unfortunately, it did. Loki pulled away. "Now, I'm definitely not letting you leave." He said, breathing heavily.

Gwen smiled. "I wouldn't leave if you forced me to."

"Why were you going to leave?" Loki asked.

Gwen's smile faltered. "I thought that it would be easier. I was so sure that you couldn't possibly feel the same way about me. So I thought it would be easier to let you be and I could go be miserable on my own."

"Don't ever think that I don't care about you again. Alright?" Loki told her, gripping her shoulders. Then his grip softened as he stared at her. "Norns, you're beautiful." He breathed. He pulled her back in and pressed his lips to her neck.

Gwen gave another breathy laugh. "I'd much rather look at you."

Loki shook his head, but said nothing. He continued to kiss her. Her neck. Her shoulders. Anywhere her skin showed. His hand moved underneath her shirt. "Wait." Gwen whispered, hardly able to speak. Loki stopped immediately. "I don't want to go too fast." She breathed.

Loki backed away. "Of course. As you wish."

"I didn't say stop completely." Gwen pouted.

Loki laughed. "There'll be more time later. Right now, we should eat. And you look exhausted. How much sleep did you get last night?"

Gwen shrugged her shoulders. "I got enough." Loki looked at her skeptically. Gwen laughed. "Alright, I didn't sleep at all."

"That's what I thought. We'll eat lunch and you are going to bed."

Gwen didn't argue because he was right. She was exhausted from no sleep and the roller coaster of emotions she had felt. "Alright, but I'm treating you to some good old fashioned American food."

"And where are you going to get that?" Loki asked.

"I'll draw us a portal to a restaurant and we get the food." Gwen said simply. "I have money."

"And if you're recognized? I will be recognized. Everyone knows I tried to take over Midgard. I don't want to risk either of us being caught."

"Can't you shape shift? Just change into some random guy. I'll be alright." Gwen said. She was a bit excited at the prospect of leaving the castle, now that she knew Loki loved her as well. It just seemed so confining when she was used to going wherever she wanted.

"Good idea." Loki replied. His shape changed before her eyes. He was shorter now, with sandy brown hair and blue eyes. He wore a plain green tee shirt and a leather jacket with jeans. (a/n: Basically just picture Tom Hiddleston, but shorter and his eyes are more blue) "You look lovely." Loki said to her.

"Did you..." Gwen began as she grabbed at her hair. It was red now. She looked at her hands. Her skin was more pale now. She turned to the wall and gazed at her reflection in the ice. She too was shorter. Her clothes were still the same. Her hair was longer but her eyes were still the same color. "This'll work."

Gwen put on the sling ring and drew a portal into an alley way in New York. She stepped through first and Loki followed. Gwen breathed deep the scent of New York. "Take a deep breath, your worship. Isn't it absolutely appalling?"

Loki chuckled. "Where are we?"

"Manhattan, New York. I know a really good schwarma joint just down the street from here." Gwen replied.

"Isn't Manhattan where Stark built his tower?" Loki questioned.

"Yes." Gwen said slowly. "I hadn't thought of that. Good thing we don't look like ourselves. Follow me. You ever had shawarma before?"

"No." Loki told her.

"Well, your worship, its one of the best foods America has to offer. Especially if you get it from here." Gwen gestured to the sign on the building.

"What is shawarma, anyway?"

"Its meat in a wrap with different kinds of sauces and toppings on it. Its really good. They have amazing fries too. Come on." Gwen grabbed his hand and pulled him inside.

The scent of shawarma and fries greeted them. Loki saved them a table while Gwen ordered for them since Loki had no idea what to get. She returned a few minutes later with a tray of food and two cups. "What do you want to drink?" Gwen asked.

"Surprise me." Loki said with a shrug. Gwen went off to the soda machines and came back a moment later. She held out one drink to Loki, who took it and took a small drink. "Its good. What is it?"

"Its called root beer. Its one of my favorites." Gwen told him. "Do you like the food?"

Loki nodded. "Its a little too greasy for my taste, but other than that, its really good."

Gwen chuckled. "Well, that's America for you. Greasy food, but it tastes really good. Unless you go to McDonald's. Then its just greasy and not so good."

The two talked and joked about different things. Gwen realized that the more she sat there talking to Loki, the more happy she felt. It felt as if she might explode with happiness. Her cheeks were starting to feel sore from laughing and smiling.

At one point during their meal, Gwen nearly forgot she wasn't in disguise and she a almost jumped out of her seat. Christine Palmer, her father's girlfriend, and Nic West, Christine's friend from work, had just walked in. Gwen shrunk low so they wouldn't see her. "They won't recognize you." Loki muttered. Gwen straightened slowly.

"Who are they?" Loki said under his breath.

"My dad's old coworkers. That girl is his girlfriend." Gwen whispered back.

"Why is she with that guy?" Loki asked.

"Because they're friends." Gwen replied. "We should go. Just in case."

"Alright." Loki said, standing up. Gwen stood as well and they moved towards the exit.

As they walked out, they ran into more familiar faces. Tony Stark and Clint Barton. Gwen quite literally ran into Tony Stark. "Ouch! Oh, sorry." She said. That's when she realized who it was.

"No problem, red." Tony said. Gwen stood still and unmoving, amazed at their luck. They had visited one of the largest cities in America and of course, they had ran into three people they didn't want to see. "Look, I know its amazing. Not everyday you get to see Iron Man aka Tony Stark, genius, billionaire, playboy, philanthropist but I would also like to get some shawarma. So sorry, but I don't have time for autographs."

"Sorry. We'll be on our way." Loki said, his voice stiff. He may have changed but that didn't mean he now had to like Stark or Barton or any of the Avengers.

Tony turned to him. "Do I know you?"

Gwen cursed internally. They still had the same voices. "No, I'm sure we would remember meeting you, Mr. Stark. Have a nice day." She grabbed Loki's arm and pulled him away.

They walked back to the alley. Gwen breathed a deep sigh of relief. "That was close."

Loki nodded. "I don't think we should come back here for a while."

"That would probably be best." Gwen agreed. She drew another portal and they returned home.

"Now, bed." Loki instructed her.

Gwen wanted to argue, but was to tired to do so. She just nodded and slowly walked upstairs, with Loki trailing behind her.

When they arrived at her door, Loki gave her a long lingering kiss. Then he kissed her hand. "Goodnight, love."

Gwen held tight to his hand. "Stay with me. Please."

Loki raised an eyebrow. "I thought you said you didn't want to go too fast?"

Gwen shook her head. "I don't. I just want to stay with you."

Loki nodded. "As you wish. Then you'll stay in my room." He picked her up, bridal style, and carried her to his room. He lay her gently on the bed before lying next to her. He kissed her forehead. "I love you." He whispered. The first time he had said it out loud.

"I love you." Gwen whispered back, before closing her eyes and falling into a deep sleep.

a/n: Hope you liked it! Please review telling me your thoughts. I know its a little fast but I'm trying to stick to the Beauty and the Beast film and that one moves fast as well. Thanks for reading! Until next time!


	12. Chapter 12

a/n: Hello again! Please enjoy this obvious filler chapter. Please review if you have the time. (I don't own Marvel)

Gwen knelt before him. "What is it now, Strange?" The loud voice of Dormamu rang out.

"Its my father, my lord." Gwen said. "I have defeated him. Kaecillius is watching him now."

"Good. We shall dispose of him later." Dormamu said.

"If I may, my lord, I would like to ask you a favor." Gwen said, as boldly as she could.

"Yes?"

"I would like to ask you to spare his life. Please." Gwen said, her tone desperate.

"Impossible. The Sorcerer Supreme defeated us last time. We cannot take any chances this time."

"Please, my lord. I beg you. I will watch him at all times. We can keep him prisoner. I've never asked for anything. Please spare him." Gwen begged.

Dormamu was silent for a while before responding. "Very well. But, know this, if he escapes and somehow defeats us again, I will not show you any mercy."

"Your kindness is overwhelming, my lord." Gwen said, breathing a deep sigh of relief. "I thank you."

"Send Kaecillius to me. I need to speak with him." Dormamu ordered her.

"Yes, my lord." Gwen replied, bowing deeply and turning around to leave.

(Dream time skip)

Gwen panted as she ran at top speed to the prison where her father was kept. She had been suspicious for a while now, and she felt compelled to check. She arrived at the door and burst in. "Kaecillius, I..." Gwen's heart leapt. Her father was still tied to the chair, his face colored with bruises and cuts. Kaecillius had a weapon pointed at her fathers head. "Kaecillius, put it down. I made a deal."

Kaecillius chuckled. "Did you really think Dormamu would leave him alive? Now, turn and leave and no harm shall come to you." Kaecillius turned back to Stephen, who was watching his daughter.

Gwen stepped between the two. "No." She conjured a weapon of her own.

"Don't be foolish, Strange. Do you really think you can defeat me? Do you think you can defeat Dormamu? On your own?" Kaecillius taunted.

"I won't be alone. Ill have my father by my side. Just as it always shouldve been." Gwen said, her hand behind her back, using magic to loose her fathers bonds. "Oh, and I don't think I can." Gwen said, lifting her weapon. "I know I can." She swung her weapon at Kaecillius and Kaecillius swung his.

The scene changed. Gwen was on a rock. Deep in space. She knew where she was, but she didn't want to believe it.

"You can't escape." A deep voice echoed. Gwen shuddered where she sat, curled up tight. "You think you've won him over? You haven't and you never will. You belong to me. That stone belongs to me. I will always find it.".

Gwen felt as though she was being crushed. She knew that voice. It was the voice of Thanos. How he found her or how she got where she was, she had no idea. His words echoed in her head. That she hadn't won him over. She knew he was referring to Loki. She suddenly found her voice, though it was very high and very shaky and utterly terrified. "You're wrong!"

Thanos chuckled. "We shall see. When I get that stone, and your world is torn in half, we shall see."

Gwen's eyes shot open. Her breathing was rapid and heavy. She gulped in several deep breaths, to calm herself down. She glanced around at her surroundings. Where am I? She thought. She wasn't in her room. Slowly, she became aware of her surroundings. Silken sheets, large room, large window revealing the snowy landscape. And, best of all, a warm arm draped around her waist. Loki. He hadn't been awakened by her nightmare. He still was fast asleep by her side.

Slowly and carefully, Gwen slipped out of his large bed. She stretched and stiffled a yawn. She glanced over to his bathroom and decided to take a quick shower. This, of course, was a lie. She hardly ever took a quick shower, unless she was running late to something.

It took a while for her to figure out how to get the hot water running. But she did. She stripped off her clothes from yesterday (she hadn't bothered to change into pyjamas) and hopped into the stream of warm water. She gave a small sigh of pleasure and sat down, letting the water run down her back and soak into her hair. Loki stayed asleep through all of this.

As she sat on the shower floor, smiling to herself, she couldn't help herself. A song came to mind and she couldn't resist singing it. She hummed the intro and opened her mouth to sing.

"Simmer down, simmer down

They say we're too young now to amount to anything else,

But look around,

We work to d*** hard for this just to give it up now

If you don't swim, you'll drown,

But don't move, honey

You look so perfect standing there

In my American apparel underwear

And I know now, that I'm so down

Your lipstick stain is a work of art,

I got your name tattooed in an arrow heart

And I know now, that I'm so down."

She hummed the part where all they sang was "hey" and she swayed back and forth to the tune of the music. She wasn't sure why this song of all songs came to mind. She didn't even like this band (5SOS). But it was a good song and it easily got stuck in her head.

"Let's get out, let's get out

'Cause this deadbeat town's only here just to keep us down

While I was out, I found myself just thinking

If I showed up with a plane ticket

And a shiny diamond ring with your name on it,

Would you wanna run away too?

'Cause all I really want is you

You look so perfect standing there

In my American apparel underwear

And I know now, that I'm so down

I made a mix tape straight out of '94

I've got your ripped skinny jeans lying on the floor

And I know now, that I'm so down

You look so perfect standing there

In my American apparel underwear

And I know now, that I'm so down

Your lipstick stain is a work of art,

I've got your name tattooed in an arrow heart

And I know now, that I'm so down

You look so perfect standing there

In my American apparel underwear

And I know now, that I'm so down

Hey!

Your lipstick stain is a work of art

I've got your name tattooed in an arrow heart

And I know now, that I'm so down." *

Gwen rinsed off one last time, still humming to herself. She shut off the water and grabbed her towel.

She had been with Loki for only about a week. It felt like years and seconds at the same time. In that time, she had permanently moved into Loki's room. They had also left the castle several times to go to restaurants and see movies (in disguises and not in Manhattan, for obvious reasons). It had been the best and happiest week of Gwen's life.

She felt a bit guilty, not going to see her father, to let him know that she was alright. But she knew how that would end. He wouldn't believe her and Loki would be taken away. That was the last thing she wanted. It was just easier to stay here.

Besides, it was a miracle that her father and Thor hadn't bust down their door already. Gwen still had no idea what she would do if that happened. She wouldn't let them hurt Loki but she didn't want to hurt her father or Thor or any of the other Avengers. So it was best to just not think about that.

Gwen dried off and grabbed her clothes from the large closet that was in the bathroom. She slipped on her black My Chemical Romance tank top and a pair of light blue skinny jeans. She located her brush and began to pull it through her hair. Gwen hummed the song she had been singing in the shower and left the bathroom.

Loki was awake now, slipping on one of his long sleeved black shirts. "Good morning. You look lovely." Loki said to her.

Gwen kissed his cheek. "Good morning. Hope I didn't wake you."

"I'm glad you did. If I could wake up to your voice every morning, I would."

Gwen turned a light pink. "You heard that?" Loki nodded. "You were supposed to be asleep."

Loki chuckled. "So were you. You're never up with the sun. Usually that's me." Gwen said nothing. "Was it the dream again?" Gwen nodded. "Are you alright?"

Gwen nodded again. "Yeah. I know its not real, but it feels so real. Its getting better, though. I don't wake up screaming anymore, so that's good."

Gwen had been having dreams about Thanos for a week now. And every time, it was the same thing. He would threaten her, and she would shout back and he would threaten her world. When she first had the dream, she had shot up screaming in terror. Loki had to calm her down, insisting that Thanos wouldn't be able to hurt her.

"I won't leave you. And I won't let him hurt you, either." Loki told her firmly.

Gwen embraced him tightly. "I know. Thank you."

"Good. Let's get some breakfast. And next time, wait for me before you shower." Loki said, a tiny smirk on his lips.

Gwen turned fifty shades of red. Loki laughed. He knew it was extremely easy to make her blush and found it funny when she did. Gwen had always been raised in a way that made her uncomfortable when it came to affection and intamacy. Mr. Bates was a strict Christian father who made sure she didn't so much as hold hands with a guy. So when Gwen went into the real world, she had been extremely uncomfortable and blushed easily.

It had been an interesting adjustment with Loki. He had had a wife and several others on the side, so he was already used to this. Gwen had had one other boyfriend. Sajit from Kamar Taj. He was nice enough, but somewhat terrified at the fact that the Sorcerer Supreme was her father, so there was not a lot of physical interaction.

Now she was staying in the same room in the same bed with her boyfriend. Its not like they were doing anything more than that, and she knew Stephen wouldn't care (outside the fact that her boyfriend was Loki) that she was doing that, but she was still an adjustment. But she was slowly getting used to it.

"I'll do that next time." Gwen said, though she wasn't sure she would. "Let's eat. I'm effing starving."

Loki watched as Gwen shoveled in food, and he hummed the song she had been singing. She looked up from her plate and gave him a shifty grin. He grinned back and took a bite of his own food.

"So, what's the plan today?" Loki asked. Gwen had been desperate to show him everything that couples did where she came from. They had seen a movie, been to several restaurants, seen a sports game, played sports and other things.

Gwen wiped at her mouth with the back of her hand. "I thought we could just stay here for today. Relax. Although, you still haven't had Chinese food yet. We should get a take out of that for dinner." Gwen took a quick drink. "You can show me what they do on Asgard for fun."

"Sure, let's go hunting and find some frost giants to wage war on." Loki said, rolling his eyes. The corners of his mouth tilted up slightly.

Gwen shook her head. "That's not funny." Gwen knew that Loki was a frost giant and that Odin had adopted him. Him making jokes about killing his own kind bothered her for obvious reasons.

"Then I suggest that you continue to make the plans." Loki said.

"Alright. Anything you want to do?" Gwen asked Loki. "I have a few ideas in mind but do you have any requests."

"To spend time with you. To watch you read and listen to you sing. Or something like that." Loki said, giving her a genuine smile. He did love her, but his real smiles were so hard to come by that seeing him smile made Gwen happier than anything. His smile was so amazing and kind and warm and filled with enough light to melt the Arctic circle that they were in.

"Alright. Only if you promise to return the favor, this time." Gwen said. "I want you to teach me the language of Asgard, so I can read some of those books in the library."

"If you still want to. I'll go find a simple book in Asgardian." Loki replied, and stood up from the table.

Gwen stood as well. "I'll be in the ball room."

They went their separate ways. On the way to the ball room was the hall full of armory. Gwen stopped by one and grabbed its sword. She hadn't been practicing with a sword for a while.

She took it in to the ball room. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. The sword was a bit heavier than what she was used to. It made her swings and slashes off balance. It didn't matter too much at the moment, but in a real time duel it would. She performed a few cuts and slashes. Then she parried, running through several attacks and defenses in her head. Agrippa, Bonetti, Capa Ferro, Thibault** and many more.

She lifted her sword in a high arc and spun around and swung it down. It was blocked halfway by another sword. Loki was holding a sword in one hand and a book in the other. He smirked at her. "My, my. This is certainly familiar."

Gwen, not knowing what to say, and being the nerd she was, naturally decided to quote Star Wars. "My powers have doubled since the last time we fought, Prince." She said, smiling at her own reference.

Loki raised his eyebrows. "Have they now? Show me." He put the book down and got a better grip on the sword he was holding.

Gwen smirked at him in return and backed away a few steps. She held her sword out in front of her. Their blades clashed a few times, in a teasing sort of way. Gwen smirked even more before going into full fighting mode. Loki didn't seem to expect this, but he adjusted well. The blades clashed, the loud clangs echoed through the large room.

The first time they had met, they had been fighting in Stuttgart. The battle lasted only a minute or so before Gwen had been defeated and Captain America had shown up. This time, it lasted quite a bit longer. "You weren't kidding, were you?" Loki said, his voice sounded impressed.

"What gave it away?" Gwen asked, grinning slightly as she slashed at Loki, who dodged it.

"Was that sarcasm, darling?" Loki said, grinning in return, blocking her cuts.

"Only a little." Gwen said moving her blade down towards the hilt of his blade, reminding herself of Pirates of the Carribean. They had moved to the far wall now. Loki siezed his opportunity and grabbed her wrist. He pushed her up against the wall and knocked away her sword.

Gwen struggled against his grip, but he had moved in too close now. "That's a dirty move you made there, your worship."

Loki smirked at her. "I won, didn't I? And now I find myself in the most pleasant position." He leaned in closer and kissed her.

"How about two out of three?" Gwen asked, slightly breathless.

Loki chuckled, but didn't move away. He continued kissing her. Gwen kissed him back, but formulated a plan in her head. Her hand that wasn't pinned to the wall grabbed Loki's, which still had the sword in it. Loki tossed the sword to the side and pinned her other arm to the wall. "Clever." He whispered in her ear. "But not clever enough."

"Screw you." Gwen breathed.

"As you wish." Loki murmured in his deep voice.

"I... Was... Kidding." Gwen said, her breath hitching. "Can you stop pinning me here?"

"Oh, but I'm having such a lovely time." Loki said mischievously.

"As much as I love this, I'm still pinned against a wall." Gwen said.

"Only if you concede." Loki said.

"Fine, fine." Gwen sighed in defeat, her tone was mocking. "You won. Can you let me go now?"

"Very good." Loki nodded. Gwen moved towards the sword, but Loki was suspecting that. He grabbed her again and pinned her again. "You want to try that again, sweetheart?"*** he whispered in her ear.

Gwen shuddered, but with pleasure. "Kinda, yeah. But I would also like to not be pinned against this wall."

"Oh no. You put yourself in this position, darling." Loki said. He pushed himself up against her and pressed his lips to her neck.

Gwen and Loki stayed in this position for what felt like a lifetime to Gwen. She tried not to admit it to Loki, but she was enjoying it.

Finally, Gwen said, while catching her breath. "Could you teach me Asgardian now? Or I could sing?"

Loki reluctantly backed off her. "Sing, and then I'll teach you."

"Alright. I have just the song for you." Gwen said. She stretched her fingers and did a few scales on the piano. Normally, this song was played on the guitar. Most songs could be played on piano, but it would sound different. This song was better on its original instruments, but sounded alright on the piano as well. Gwen put her fingers in the starting positions. "This song is called, You Make Me Smile. Its another one of my favorites." She played through the introduction, and began to sing.

"You're better than the best,

I'm lucky just to linger in your light,

Cooler than the flip side of my pillow, that's right

Completely unaware,

Nothing can compare to where you send me

Let's me know that its OK, yeah its OK

And the moments where my good times start to fade

You make me smile like the sun,

Fall out of bed, sing like a bird

Dizzy in my head, spin like a record

Crazy on a Sunday night

You make me dance like a fool

Forget how to breathe

Shine like gold, buzz like a bee

Just the thought of you can drive me wild

Oh, you make me smile."

Loki was sitting beside her on the piano bench, smiling slightly. He enjoyed music, but he felt that he had no time for it, before. Not anymore. He loved listening to Gwen play and sing.

"Even when you're gone

Somehow you come along

Just like a flower poking through the sidewalk crack

And just like that,

You steal away the rain and just like that

You make me smile like the sun

Fall out bed, sing like a bird

Dizzy in my head, spin like a record

Crazy on a Sunday night

You make me dance like a fool

Forget how to breathe

Shine like gold, buzz like a bee

Just the thought of you can drive me wild

Oh, you make me smile

Don't know how I lived without you

'Cause every time that I get around you

I see the best of me inside your eyes

You make me smile

You make me dance like a fool, forget how to breathe

Shine like gold, buzz like a bee

Just the thought of you can drive me wild

You make me smile like the sun

Fall out of bed, sing like a bird

Dizzy in my head, spin like a record

Crazy on a Sunday night

You make me dance like a fool, forget how to breathe

Shine like gold, buzz like a bee

Just the thought of you can drive me wild

Oh, you make me smile

Oh, you make me smile

Oh, you make me smile." ****

Gwen finished the song, lifting her hand from the keyboard with a flourish. She leaned her head on Loki's shoulder. He, in turn, leaned his head on her own. "Did you like it?" Gwen asked.

"Did I like it?" Loki repeated. "It was amazing. You have the most beautiful voice." He smiled at her before saying, "And you are the most beautiful woman in the nine realms." He kissed the top of her head.

Gwen blushed. "I highly doubt that I'm the most beautiful in all the nine realms. Maybe only three of them." Loki chuckled at her comment. "Now, will you teach me?"

"Yes." Loki replied. He pulled out the book he had grabbed and dropped it on the piano. "We'll start with this one."

"Whoa, I didn't know that you learn to speak Asgardian by reading Asgardian Shakespeare." Gwen commented.

"You're clever enough. You'll catch on quickly." Loki said.

The two sat around the piano, Loki teaching Gwen the alphabet and a few simple words. Like he predicted, Gwen caught on quickly. She was hardly fluent and wouldn't be for a while but it was a good start. The two were distracted many times by each other.

At the end of the hour, Gwen could look at Loki and say, in a decent Asgardian accent, "I love you."

Avengers Tower, Manhattan

"I think we're ready." Steve Rogers called from the head of the table, standing up. Everyone looked up from their dinner and at Steve. "Doctor Strange, have you found Loki's hideout?"

Stephen nodded. "I double checked yesterday. I know where it is. I can take us there."

"Good. Now, we have the advantage. Loki doesn't know we're coming. He might suspect it, but he doesn't know when. Our mission is to extract Guinevere and capture Loki. We'll leave Loki to Thor. Should be easy. Ten on one. Eleven on one, once we get Guinevere. We should get a good night's rest tonight."

Everyone stood, knowing they were dismissed. Stephen stood quickly. "I'd like to thank you all. For helping me."

"No problem, doc." Tony said. "Its kinda what the Avengers do."

"We'll be glad to have you join the Avengers at some point. You and your daughter. If you want to." Steve said.

"An Avenger?" Stephen echoed. That had never been part of the plan.

"You work with us, you are an Avenger." Clint said. "That's how it goes."

Stephen nodded. "Then I'll be glad to work as an Avenger. And so will my daughter."

a/n: Hope you liked my obvious filler chapter! So, the Avengers are coming! How's that gonna go? I already know, I just want to see what you guys think should or will happen. Please leave a review, if you have the ttime! Thanks to those who have followed, favorites, reviewed and read this story! Its always amazing to get a notification saying that someone likes my story. Until next time, then!

*this song is titled She Looks So Perfect by 5 Seconds of SSummer

**these moves are the ones listed in The Princess Bride movie

***this line is from the tumblr of imaginensfw

****this song is You Make Me Smile by Uncle Kracker. I know its a bit cheesey, but it makes me think of Tom Hiddleston so, yeah. Had to put it in.


	13. Chapter 13

a/n: Hello! IMPORTANT PLEASE READ! So I'm making some changes to this story. I took out my other OC Natalie Stark. I'm going to make her a completely different story. That won't be a big change. Just no more shape shifting and conversation between her and Stephen. Ive replaced her with Tony. Also please ignore everything I have said about timeline. I'm now placing this before Civil War and before Thor Ragnarok. I think I'll go into both those movies. I've probably altered the Marvel timeline but its fan fiction so... Please enjoy this chapter! (I don't own Marvel)

Gwen didn't sleep that night. She lay next to Loki in bed but she refused to close her eyes. She did this for two reasons.

One, she didn't want any dreams. She had relived her fathers near death experience too many times to count. She had seen enough of Thanos to last her a lifetime. She was sick and tired of waking up every morning, terrified for her life. She didn't want to remember the betrayal she had committed against her father. It was bad enough that she couldn't and wouldn't lie about doing it, but to relive it was too much.

Two, she had a bad feeling in her stomach, and no it was not period cramps. If Gwen knew her father, and she did, he wasn't leaving her here. He was coming and soon. She thought he would be here before now and he wasn't. Which was good because if he had been here before now, she never would've had all this time with Loki.

Which brought up a problem. When her father did come (and Gwen predicted he would bring some help, most likely the Avengers) what would she do? She wasn't going to put her father in danger. Not again. It caused her too many problems last time she did that. She also couldn't go against the Avengers. They were good people who had no idea what was going on here.

But she couldn't fight Loki either. She lived him too much to do that. So she was caught in the middle. Who to go with? She loved her father and missed him terribly. Gwen wanted to see him again. She wanted to go mend their relationship. She also wanted to meet the Avengers and thank Captain America for what he did that day in Stuttgart.

But leaving Loki would be too painful. She had already attempted it once and that was a disaster. She couldn't try to leave again. No, they would have to rip Loki from her cold dead hands to part them.

Gwen huffed. Perhaps she could strike a deal. Ask the Avengers to leave them alone and she'd watch Loki. It sounded stupid in her head and she doubted the Avengers would go for it. Probably would think that Loki had somehow warped her mind.

Gwen tried to stop thinking about it. She would cross that bridge when she came to it. But that bridge was coming on hard and fast. Perhaps being prepared was better.

Gwen felt Loki pull her closer in his sleep. Her heart melted and she pressed herself closer to him. She loved him more than anything on this earth. To leave him, well, Gwen wasn't sure she could bear it. That was it. No one was taking Loki from her or her from Loki. She would stop the Avengers from separating them by any means necessary (except killing of course). She would make them see the change in Loki's heart. Thor would see it. He would make the others see it. Everything would work out.

Gwen cherished every moment she spent sleeping next to Loki. Gwen's head lay on Loki's bear chest, his heart thumping in her ear. Her hand rested on his chest as well. Loki's arm was draped across her shoulders, holding her close. Gwen felt herself smile and relax, his heartbeat almost lulling her to sleep. She refused to close her eyes and began to count his breaths to keep herself awake.

She lost count when she hit three hundred but a couple hours later, the sun rose. Loki seemed to be in synch with the sun because the minute the first ray of light peeked over the snow dusted tundra. Loki took a deep breath and lifted one arm to rub his eyes. He didn't know she was awake yet.

Both of them lie there, neither wanting to wake the other, thinking both were asleep. After a few minutes, Loki reached a hand up to stroke Gwen's hair. Gwen smiled. "Good morning."

"Morning. How long have you been awake?" Loki began to sit up and Gwen sat with him, resting her head on his shoulder now.

"Not long." Gwen lied. "You?"

"About ten minutes." Loki replied. He turned where he sat to face her. "No nightmares?"

"None." Gwen confirmed.

Loki smirked his usual smirk. "You didn't sleep at all, did you?"

Gwen grinned in a guilty sort of way. "Guilty as charged." Loki chuckled and kissed her. Gwen kissed him back, pressing herself closer to him. Normally, it was him who was asking for more. Not today. Gwen wanted to spend as much time as possible with him before her dad showed up and things became complicated. Loki broke away, sucking in a deep breath. Gwen rest her head on his chest, yet again. "I love you."

"I love you too." Loki replied, his voice quiet and gentle as it so rarely was. He was rarely tender, and more aggressive in nature. But when he met Gwen, his ways had changed. He was softer and kinder. He still maintained his sarcasm, however and his tendency for making trouble.

"Loki?" Gwen asked. Loki hummed in reply. "That day, when I said my dad was coming? I wasn't lying. I know my dad. He's on his way. Probably with the Avengers. I'm a little surprised he isn't here now." Gwen took a deep breath. "What I'm trying to say is that... I don't want to leave you. Ever. And I don't want to hurt my dad either. That's why I didn't sleep. I'm conflicted. I don't want to go against my dad but I refuse to loose you. What I really want to know is... Do you have my back in this?"

Loki looked into her deep blue green eyes, with the tiniest bit of gold in there. They reminded him of a sunset over a sea. Beautiful and entrancing. How he ever managed to look away was a miracle to him. Before he could get completely lost in her eyes, he spoke. "Of course. I have your back no matter what. I swear on my troth."*

Gwen had no idea what a troth was but she believed him. His look said it all. He was serious, his face tense but relaxed at the same time. Gwen nodded. "Alright. Thank you." She moved in for another kiss, breaking any space they had between them. Loki put his hand in her hair and the other on the small of her back. Neither tried to break away, only breaking to take breaths.

After several minutes, though it might've been years, they broke apart. "Nothing is separating us? OK? I'm not letting you go just like that. And even if somehow we are seperated, nothing will change the way I feel about you." Loki whispered in her ear.

Gwen, breathing heavily, nodded her head. It was about all she could manage. Her brain felt fuzzy, her thoughts blurry. No one had had this effect on her before. She wished she could think of something to say other than "Yeah." but it was all she could come up with. Loki chuckled at her response and kissed her neck.

Loki stood and pulled on a shirt. Gwen pulled a button up army green shirt over her tank top, pulling it around her. Then she pulled on a pair of jeans. Loki, smirking as he always did, watched her from behind. When she turned around, he picked her up quickly, so that her legs were around his waist and pushed her against a wall.

Gwen yelped when he did so. "You're ridiculous." She breathed, hating and yet loving being put back in this position. She was still somewhat fuzzy from earlier and what small thoughts she could formulate were racing. She could feel her heartbeat slowly elevating till it felt too fast. Loki said nothing in reply to her comment, but pressed his mouth to her neck. Gwen bit her lip to keep from making some stupid noise that was sure to draw commentary from Loki.

Slowly, Loki made his way up to her mouth. He pressed his lips to hers and broke away. "Have I mentioned how much I love doing that?" He said, his tone conversational.

"Really? I hadn't noticed." Gwen replied sarcastically. She barely concealed the growing grin on her face. She didn't want him to know that she actually loved it. How badly she wanted him to do it again.

"You know you like it." Loki said with a mischevious grin. He pressed up against her again and leaned down to whisper in her ear. "There's no need to bite your lip. You can scream if you need to."

Gwen blushed slightly and shuddered at his comments. "Loki!" She said, as if in shock. "I'm surprised at you! Wherever did you hear such phrases?" Gwen reminded herself of her adoptive Grandma, the way she was talking. She tried to steady her uneven breath in the meantime, and not doing a very good job at it.

Loki pulled out his trademark smirk. "Oh, I have a lot more. Just come closer and I'll tell you." Loki took a step closer to her and bit her ear gently. "Do you want to hear it?"

Gwen made a noise somewhere between a squeak and a hiccup. Loki smirked, enjoying this thoroughly. He knew how he made her feel, despite her efforts to hide that. He enjoyed that. He could feel her chest heaving, as she tried to calm her breathing.

Finally, remembering her voice, Gwen spoke. "Maybe some other time, darling." She stalked out of the room and leaned against the wall. She rubbed her hands across her face and then through her hair. She shook her head a few times as if that would help her focus and stay alert. She was never easily distracted before this. As much as she loved it, she wasn't used to it. She stopped leaning on the wall and stood up straight. She took a deep breath in and took a few steps down the hall.

Loki caught up with her and put his arm around her, pulling her close yet again. Gwen leaned into him willingly. The couple walked down to breakfast.

Loki sat down in his usual chair. Gwen made to sit down in her spot put Loki put his feet up before she could sit. Gwen tilted her head to the side and gave him a look. His lips pulled back into a smirk and he nodded to his lap. Gwen rolled her eyes but sat down on his lap. She reached over to grab a piece of fruit and ate it. Loki ate his meal one handed, the other on her back. Gwen couldn't help but feel he was getting a little possessive. She enjoyed it.

When they finished breakfast, Gwen went upstairs to shower. After drying off and pulling on her clothes, she met Loki who was lounging on his bed. He smiled at her when she came out. "So, what shall we do today?" His tone was extremely suggestive and Gwen shifted her gaze to the ground and bit her lip. She didn't blush this time, which was good.

Gwen shrugged in reply and sat next to him on the bed. "No idea. You must have done something besides hunting and battling on Asgard. What was it?"

Loki paused thoughtfully. "Because I was royalty, we had many parties and feasts and balls. If any of those interest you."

Gwen chuckled. "Food always interests me." She said and Loki laughed. "I've always wanted to learn how to dance. Could you teach me?" Gwen asked. She didn't really have an interest in dance. She just wanted to be close to Loki.

Loki nodded. "Of course." He watched her intently, seeing her eyes light up as they always did when she was excited. "But not in that thing." He gestured to her clothes. "Wait one minute." He waved his hand. The air shimmered and he held in his hand a long skirted dress.

Gwen's eyes widened. She hardly ever wore dresses but this one, this one she wasn't sure she would ever want to take it off. It was a light blue green and whenever the fabric rustled, it shone with gold. The sleeves were long and see through. The entire top was gold and looked like armor. The back of the top was open and would reveal her back. Gwen took it and held it up to her body. "Its beautiful." She breathed. "Thank you."

Loki smiled. "It reminds me of your eyes. Will you wear it?" He eyed her carefully. She didn't seem like the girl that would wear dresses or enjoy wearing dresses.

Gwen's eyes widened. "Will I wear it? Of course, I'll wear it. Its the most beautiful thing I've ever seen." Gwen stood up on tiptoe and kissed him gently. "I'm going to go change." She took the dress and entered the bathroom.

Loki stood waiting for her, his hands behind his back. When Gwen came out, Loki was, for the first time in a while, utterly speechless. Gwen's hair was in its usual style, straight and down. She practically glowed in the form fitting dress. She gave him a small smile and bit her lip, which Loki found very distracting in a good way. Gwen spun in a circle, the dress flying around her. "Do you like it?" Gwen asked shyly, because he had not stopped staring.

Loki cleared his throat and spoke. "The first day I discovered I love you, when I saw you, I thought I had never seen anything as lovely and beautiful as you. And I hadn't. And I have not to this day." Loki took her hand in his and kissed it softly. Gwen grinned at him and ducked her head.

"Thank you. And you are the most handsome thing I've ever seen." Gwen replied. She pulled him into a close embrace, laying her head on his chest. Loki rubbed her back and returned her embrace. They stayed this way, locked in each others arms. Gwen lost count of how long. "Can you teach me how to dance now?"

Loki nodded. "Yes. This way." He held out his arm and Gwen slipped her own thought it. They walked down to the ball room and arrived at the piano. "We'll need a song. Not a fast one. Something slow."

Gwen ran through her brain, searching for a slow song that was good to dance to. She ended up choosing A Thousand Years by Christina Perry. "Once you play through the song once, I'll conjure the piano to be able to play it over and over again, so I can teach you." Gwen nodded and sat down on the bench. She played through the song once, going a tiny bit slower than normal, and humming along to the tune. When she finished, Loki tapped it and the song started again. Gwen stood up and faced Loki. "Good. Now, you should be good at this because you have such excellent foot work for fencing." Loki placed on hand on her waist and the other in her hand. "Put your other arm on my shoulder." Gwen did as he said. Loki slowly stepped backwards so Gwen could see what he did with his feet. Gwen copied as best as she could. Loki nodded. "Good. Now, the same thing this way." He sstepped similarly to his left and Gwen followed. "Good. Now its just that over and over again in a square shape."

Gwen felt more confident and the two moved faster. Gwen had a sudden thought and smirked. "What?" Loki said.

"Oh, I was just thinking about how weird this is. A young girl dancing with the God of Mischief. Would look a bit odd to an outsider." Gwen commented. It was odd to her and she was here. Why Loki liked her was still a complete mystery to her. One she had yet to figure out. All she knew was that he did and she loved him in return.

Loki grinned. "That it would. I hardly even attended the balls on Asgard. Just watched from a distance. I only know how to dance because my mother taught me how in case a young noble girl asked me." Loki nodded to her. "Your the first to ask."

Gwen raised her eyebrows at this. "Really? Well, all the girls on Asgard must be idiots. Though I'm glad they are, or else I might not be here." That was one fear that Gwen tried to keep buried in her heart as deep as she could. That Loki might find someone better and leave her for it. It was entirely possible. And it scared Gwen bad.

Loki nodded seriously at her comment before breaking a little smile. "They are. None of them come anywhere close to you." He looked her up and down and took a step closer to her, pulling her closer to him.

Gwen snorted. "I seriously doubt that." Then her face softened. "But I'm glad you think of me that way."

"I was being entirely truthful. Would I ever lie?" Loki said, raising his eyebrows and grinning at her knowingly.

Gwen laughed. "The God of Lies, lying? Never." Loki have a small chuckle. "You, however, are exceptionally better than any man on Earth. And I am not lying."

"Oh, I already knew that." Was Loki's quick reply. Gwen burst out laughing.

"Are you the God of Humility as well?" She asked, wiping at her eyes. Loki gave a serious nod and Gwen laughed again.

The song finished. Gwen stopped her feet but didn't let go of Loki. She looked into his bright green eyes, and smiled. She couldn't remember a time when she was this happy. Gwen stood on tiptoe and pressed her lips to his. Loki pulled her closer, his hand on the bare spot on her back. Gwen's brain went hazy again. She could only formulate one clear thought. This would be an odd sight to an outsider.

A*A*A

Gwen's thoughts were correct, though her father had no idea what she was thinking. He was frozen in his spot overlooking the dance floor. His fists were clenched and he was breathing hard and fast. The other Avengers stood behind him in shock, not expecting this at all, to stunned to move or say anything. Stephen kept telling himself that Loki had forced his daughter into this position. He knew deep down that she had kissed him first and she was kissing him back. But he denied it to himself. Now, all he felt was anger at Loki for taking his daughter and doing this to her.

A*A*A

"LOKI!" A loud voice thundered, echoing through out the room. Gwen broke away to see her father and the other Avengers up in the balcony. It was Thor that had spoken. Gwen swore softly under her breath and felt her heart leap. She hadn't wanted this to happen. And certainly not this way. She was going to slowly break it to her father and the other Avengers what was happening.

"Jenny, step away from him." Stephen said, his voice stiff with anger.

"No, dad. You don't understand." Gwen started to say.

"Oh, I think we understand exactly what's happening here sweetheart." The voice of Tony Stark said condescendingly. Gwen shot him a glare. Loki remained frozen by her side. Tony nodded to Loki. "Your Highness."

"Loki, let go of the girl now." Thor ordered his younger brother. Loki gave him a cold sneer.

"She approached me, brother. I thought you all saw that." Loki's voice was back to being cold and hard, like when Gwen first met him. Gwen touched his hand and squeezed it reassuringly. Loki squeezed back and visibly relaxed. "I assure you, I never forced myself on Gwen."

Gwen nodded. "He's telling the truth dad. He never touched me, unless I gave him permission." Stephen heard none of these words except that Loki had played hands on his daughter. A new wave of anger over came him. He said nothing in reply to his daughter, but glared at Loki.

"Right. I've had enough." Clint muttered and quickly loaded an arrow. He shot it at Loki.

Gwen reacted quickly and disintegrated the arrow with a flash. The rest of them stared in astonishment. Then, with a nod from Strange and Stark, the whole place was in a battle.

Thor leapt over the edge and grabbed Loki by the neck. Gwen attempted to pull him off but Steve grabbed her hand and pulled her away. "Let go of me!" Gwen snarled at him. "He isn't what you think he is."

"Kid, if he's making you stay quiet... You can tell us. We'll protect you." Steve told her.

"I'm not lying. Please, stop them!" Gwen tugged and tugged but it was no use. Captain America's grip was too strong. Stephen bound Loki's hands with magic.

Thor spoke directly to Loki. "I told you before brother. I used to think there was still some good in you. But now I see I was deluded. I told you before if you betray me again I will kill you." Thor's voice was regretful towards the end. "I don't want to brother. But if that's what it takes to stop you, then I must." Thor raised his hammer above his head. Loki turned his gaze to Gwen and gave her a sad smile, accepting the end.

Gwen's eyes widened in fear. She pulled harder than ever against Steve's grip and the Captain, who was somewhat shocked by Thor's words, had loosened his grip just enough so that Gwen could pull free. "Wait! No!" Gwen screamed and flung herself in front of Loki. "If you kill him you'll have to kill me too."

Silence surrounded Gwen's words. Stephen took a deep breath. "Jenny, what this man has done..."

Gwen cut him off. "I know what he's done. I know it better than any of you here. But you can't kill him for that. Or you'll have to kill me. Its only right. I've done things too." Gwen's eyes shifted to her father's. "You know I have." She whispered.

"That's different. You were manipulated. You changed." Stephen was quick to reply.

"Loki has changed too. I don't know why you won't believe me." A tear streamed down Gwen's face. She ignored it. "Please don't kill him. Jail him if you must but please don't kill him." Gwen started crying harder now and she turned to Loki and buried her face in his shoulder. Loki, who's arms were tied behind his back, could do little to comfort her. He kissed her head.

"Its alright Gwen. You should go with them. You belong with them." Loki murmured to her. Gwen shook her head at him without moving her head from his shoulder. Loki didn't cry. He hadn't cried in years. But that did not mean he wasn't suffering. At the moment, he felt as if his heart were being torn in half. But, he also wanted what was best for Gwen, and that was not him. That would be the Avengers. That's where someone like her belonged. And he, well, he definitely didn't belong there.

"Alright." Thor said after a long pause. "We won't kill him. I will take him to Asgard where he will face Asgardian justice." Thor turned to the other Avengers and they all nodded, saying that would work.

"Then I'm coming with you." Gwen said fiercely. Her vision was still blurred by tears.

"No." Stephen said firmly.

"He's right. Mortals may not visit Asgard without an invitation from an Asgardian." Thor explained. Gwen looked hopefully to Loki. "No, I don't think a prisoner will count." Gwen turned to Thor, her eyes pleading. Thor shook his head sadly. "I can't. I think it would be better if you remained on Midgard during the trial. When a verdict is reached, I will send for you immediately."

"You better." Gwen snarled, now moved to anger. She wiped away the tears that stung her eyes. "Swear it."

Thor raised his right hand. "I swear on the nine realms."

"Good." Gwen snapped at him. Then, her expression filled with sorrow again. "Could I at least say good bye?" Gwen asked softly. The group of heroes was silent, contemplating her request.

"Oh, let her do it." Steve said. "What could be the harm?" The others silently agreed. Stephen removed his handcuffs and the Avengers walked away to the other side of the room to give them some privacy, with their backs turned.

Gwen launched herself into Loki's arms, trying to fight the oncoming tears. She had failed. She said that they wouldn't be seperated. Now they were about to be seperated for who knows how long until Loki was sentenced to prison. Loki stroked her hair, gently quieting her. "Its alright. We'll see each other soon."

"I'm sorry." Gwen choked out. "I'm sorry I lied. I said I wouldn't allow us to be seperated and here we are." She felt the tears come now. Hot and stinging. She blinked a few times and they fell out.

Loki gave her a sad smile a wiped away the tears. "Its not your fault. And its OK. I'll see you soon, I swear it."

Gwen gave a small nod. "OK." They wrapped their arms around the other and shared one last kiss. It was warm and gentle and so full of longing. Gwen didn't want to break away, but they did. "I love you. So much." Gwen whispered.

"And I love you. More than I thought could be possible." Loki told her. Thor was approaching. Loki gave him a stiff nod and let go of Gwen's shoulders. It was all Gwen could do to not crash on her knees and cry. She watched as the two brothers walked away. They were going, going, going. And then they were gone. Just like that.

Gwen didn't fall down and sob. She turned to face the other Avengers, her gaze unreadable. "I'll go pack my things." She muttered.

"I'll get them. You've had a long day. You should rest. Stephen will take you to our new facility in upstate New York." Steve told her. Gwen gave no reply other than a stiff nod and walked out the portal her father had conjured.

Stephen put his arm around his daughter. "I'll show you to your room." Gwen shrugged off his arm but followed him and Tony to her new room at the Avengers facility. Stephen was disappointed but not terribly surprised. When they arrived at her room, Gwen shut the door in their faces without a word to either of them. Tony clapped Stephen on the shoulder. "Don't worry. She'll come around. Just give her time." Tony told him before walking away. Stephen placed his hand on the door. "I'm sorry Jenny." There was no reply from inside, so he walked away.

Gwen sat on her bed, taking a look around her room. It was big. Bigger than her room back at Kamar Taj, but not as big as the one she shared with Loki. There were a few windows, a TV, a bathroom, a large closet, and of course a bed. She took a deep breath and shed the dress she was wearing. She put it in her closet and went to go take a shower.

She sat on the floor of the shower, the warm water hitting her curled up figure. She sniffed but there were no tears. If there were, they were hidden by the water on her face. Gwen felt miserable. This morning, she had hardly ever been so happy. She was with Loki and everything was right. He loved her and teased her and made her feel wonderful. She would give anything to have that back. Now she was sitting on a shower floor, crying without tears. Wondering what she would do next. She would eventually help the Avengers, but for now, she could hardly stand the sight of them.

When Gwen finished her shower, there was a knock on her door. She wrapped a towel tightly around her body and opened the door. It was the Black Widow. "Here's your clothes. Dinner is in an hour. We're having meatloaf, if that interests you."

Gwen took the clothes, gave her a nod and closed the door. She pulled on the clothes she had been wearing this morning and sat on her bed yet again, contemplating what she would do and already counting the days until she would see Loki again.

a/n: Hope you enjoyed that chapter. Next one will be in Captain America Civil War and then on to Thor Ragnarok. Thanks for reading! And happy Halloween to those who celebrate it.


	14. Chapter 14

**a/n: Hello again my readers! Please enjoy this chapter. (I don't own Marvel)**

It had been four weeks since Gwen left Loki. One whole month. To Gwen, the time seemed to drag on forever and ever.

For the first week, Gwen had sat in her room at the Avengers facility and did absolutely nothing. She ate as little as possible and slept only when she needed to. No one bothered her except to bring her food. Other than that, she just sat on her bed, staring at the wall and door, imagining Loki would walk through it, saying he was free. Of course, this didn't happen.

After a week, Gwen started to scold herself. Why should she sit in her room, punishing the Avengers? It wasn't their fault, they were just doing what they thought was best for everyone. She stood, showered, combed her hair and left her room. She went into the kitchen for breakfast with the other Avengers. Her father had gone back to Kamar Taj to manage things there. He had invited her, but Gwen gave him no response, other than to give him her infinity stone. It wasn't worth all the trouble it gave them and as her father pointed out, she didn't need the temptation to use it as an Avenger. So it was safely hidden at Kamar Taj. She silently went about finding some breakfast, very aware of the Avengers eyes on her back.

"Good morning." Steve had said, being the only one brave enough to approach her. Gwen gave him a tight smile, which felt more like a grimace and greeted him in return. "Can I help you get breakfast?"

"I'm twenty years old. I can get my own breakfast." Gwen had replied, somewhat snappishly. Then, realizing she sounded angry, her voice softened. "Thanks for the offer, though."

Gwen stood on tiptoe to grab a slice of bread to toast. Everyone soon became used to her presence and treated her like a member of the team. Slowly, Gwen came back to life. She smiled again and she talked to everyone. She even went on a mission with them. Everything was looking up. Until her father reappeared.

It wasn't his fault. It was the news he brought. He arrived and asked for a moment alone with Gwen. "You might need to sit down." Stephen had told her. Gwen sat down.

"Is it Loki?" Gwen had asked quietly. She had been expecting bad news for the entire week. She had hope that it would've been good news but her fathers look said everything. Something had gone wrong.

"Yes. Its not what you think." Stephen said. He took a deep breath and leaned forward, trying to assume the voice he used when delivering bad news to patients. "When he left with Thor, they got stopped along the way. Ran into some enemies. They fought their best, but... Thor couldn't stop them. They... Well, they killed Loki."

Gwen sat frozen to her spot. Her breathing stopped. Dead? How could he be? He had promised that they would be reunited. That was what kept her going. The thought of Loki gone forever was unbearable. But she didn't cry. "Did he suffer?" Gwen whispered, unsure of what else to ask.

Stephen shook his head. "Thor said it was pretty swift. He said that Loki's last words were to tell you that he loves you." Gwen nodded and swallowed hard.

"Thank you for telling me." Gwen whispered. She started to take a few steps to her room.

"Thor wanted to invite you to Asgard at some point. He says its what Loki would want, if you're interested." Stephen said, delivering all the messages Thor had given him. He wanted to help his daughter, but he knew she would need her space after this blow.

"That's very kind of him. Maybe sometime in the future." Gwen whispered and went back into her room.

She yet again locked the door and stayed on the bed staring at the wall. No one tried to talk to her at all this time. She stayed there for a week and a half before she yet again emerged. "Are you alright?" Her father asked, as he had spent that night in the facility.

"Yes." Gwen said quietly, even though it was a lie. "I'm OK." The girl sitting at the table with the Avengers was a different girl than the one who they had met that day in the castle. This one was so much sadder and yet so much wiser. A girl who had suffered through things that no girl her age should have to go through. And it damaged her. And she was never the same again.

A*A*A

It was several months later when Gwen went on her second mission with the Avengers. There were only a few Avengers there. Steve Rogers aka Captain America, Natasha Romanoff aka Black Widow, Wanda Maximoff aka Scarlet Witch, Sam Wilson aka Falcon and Gwen Strange aka the Scorpion.

That was the name she had been given when she became an official member of the Avengers. It was supposedly because her blade stung like that of a scorpion. Gwen thought it was stupid that she needed a name but if that's what it took to be an Avenger then that's what she would do.

A*A*A

Tony had approached her a couple of days after she had received the news of Loki's death and after she had emerged from her room yet again. "Your dad tells me your handy with a sword." Tony said.

Gwen shrugged. "I'm alright." She said casually. She didn't want to talk about it. It made her think of Loki which was extremely painful. She couldn't put him out of her thoughts however. She had started to see him like she had seen Gabe. It wasn't very fun and yet it was wonderfully refreshing to see him again.

"Right. Well, I made you a sword." Tony handed her a small pen. "Click the button." Gwen did so and the pen transformed into a long sword. Gwen gave it a wave. It was perfectly balanced. "That button only recognizes your fingerprint now, so only you can open it. I tried to make it pretty balanced. That blade is extremely sharp so be careful when your chopping up people."

Gwen snorted. "Will do." She clicked the button again and the sword retracted. She thought back to Loki's words about how she and Stark would get along well when he came. She couldn't help but wonder why he said that. Tony was funny and sarcastic. Maybe Gwen used to be like that but if she ever was, she couldn't remember.

"Oh yeah. And one more thing." Tony handed her a pair of sunglasses with what looked like an earpiece attached. "That's how we communicate. I have an AI system programmed in there so if a voice talks to you, don't worry about that. He doesn't have a name yet so you can name him." Tony shrugged. He glanced at his watch. "I've got to go. Don't go too crazy with your new toys, Copperfield." Tony had started calling her Copperfield because he was a famous magician and Gwen could do magic as well. He had a nickname for all the Avengers, though he seemed to call the older Avengers by their proper names. He had even given her dad a nickname. He was Houdini.

Gwen watched Tony's retreating figure. He was alright. A little bit too sarcastic but otherwise very nice. Gwen pulled on the sunglasses and plugged in her earpiece. There were lots of symbols and letters surrounding her vision, telling her what she was seeing and possible targets. "Hello, Ms. Strange. I am your AI system." A male voice greeted her. At first he appeared to have no accent but the closer Gwen listened, the more Gwen thought it sounded almost Canadian.

"Hello." Gwen greeted. "Could you call me Gwen?" Being called Ms. Strange sounded to weird.

"Of course, miss." The voice replied. Gwen rolled her eyes. Gwen ran through a few names in her head. "I'm going to call you Caesar. Is that alright?" Gwen thought of her favorite play by Shakespeare, Julius Caesar. She had considered naming him Loki but decided that was too weird and too painful. She wasn't bringing Loki back, no matter how badly she wanted to.

"You can call me Caesar, if you would like. I rather like that name miss." Caesar said.

"Cool. So, I'm going to take you off now." Gwen replied awkwardly. "See you later."

"Of course, miss. Mr. Stark programmed me into your room, so if you ever need me, just call." Caesar told her. Gwen gave a small yelp.

"What, you can see me?" Gwen asked. She didn't want to be watched. If Stark or any of the other Avengers saw what she did at night on her own, they would have her carted off to a mental hospital.

"I'm an AI system, miss. I don't have eyes." Caesar explained, though his voice sounded somewhat amused.

"Oh, right." Gwen said, blushing slightly. "Thanks. So, um... Bye then."

"Goodbye miss." Caesar said before Gwen took off her sunglasses.

A*A*A

Gwen was sitting at a table with Wanda, whom she had taken a liking to. She had her sunglasses on and was sipping at a cup of tea. Natasha was a few tables away with her own drink. Steve was in a hotel room, giving them directions. Sam was off flying somewhere.

Gwen got along well with all the Avengers but she was especially close to both Steve and Wanda. Both had been the most willing to approach her after they found out she lost Loki. Possibly because they both had lost people close to them. Wanda had recently lost her brother Pietro in the incident with Ultron in Sokovia. Steve hadn't technically lost this person, but he had been seperated from his girlfriend, Peggy Carter for so long, that he as good as lost her. Not to mention everyone else he left behind in the 1940's. So Gwen had grown close to the two.

Steve 's voice came over their earpieces. The band of heroes were hunting down a group of HYDRA agents. Gwen had learned that HYDRA was a terrorist group that made weapons and psycho assassins. The life of the party. "Alright what do you see?" Steve was speaking to Gwen and Wanda since they were newbies.

"Standard beat cops." Wanda replied in her Russian accent with a shrug. Gwen smirked and took another sip of tea. Steve said this would be a challenge. "Small station. Quiet street. Its a good target."

"There's an ATM machine on the south corner which means..." Steve left the sentence up in the air for them to finish.

"Security cameras." Gwen replied. "Hey Steve, I thought you said this was going to be hard?" Gwen cocked an eyebrow, even though Steve couldn't see her.

"Don't get cocky kid. You're worse than your father." Steve's voice commented.

"Oh, Stevie, no one is worse than my father. Except maybe Stark but we all know he's an arrogant d***." Gwen replied. While she probably shouldn't have spoken that way about her father, it was true. Gwen remembered when she first saw him in a CNN interview and he was overly arrogant and extremely cocky.

"Be careful." Natasha said. Gwen gave her a covert glance. She gave a jerk of her head and came as close to a smile as Gwen had seen her come. "Steve doesn't like that kind of language." Gwen grinned and took another drink.

"Shut it Romanoff." Steve grumbled. "And focus up, Gwen. This is no time to get distracted."

"Right. Sorry Captain." Gwen said. "Please continue with the lesson."

"Oh, how generous of you." Steve muttered with an edge of sarcasm. "Its on two one ways. So..."

"Compromised escape routes." Wanda finished for him. Gwen could just picture Steve nodding in pleasure at their quickness. The two had quickly taken up this hero thing, despite being enemies to the Avengers before all this.

"Means our guy doesn't care about being seen. Doesn't mind making a mess on the way out. You see that range rover halfway up the street?"

"Yeah, the red one?" Wand asked taking a sip of tea. "Its cute." Gwen snorted but covered it with a cough so Natasha wouldn't get on her about being serious during the missions.

"Its also bulletproof." Natasha said. "Which means private security. Which means more guns. Which means more headaches for somebody. Probably us"

"You guys know we can do magic right?" Wanda asked the others. It was very true but Natasha wasn't having it.

"Looking over your shoulder needs to become second nature." Natasha said. While Gwen agreed, she also felt that Natasha forgot she was working with a team and wasn't going solo anymore

"Has anyone ever told you you're a little paranoid?" Sam spoke now. Gwen liked Sam. He made her laugh.

"Not to my face. Why? Has somebody said something?" Natasha asked him.

"Honestly Nat you should be more serious. We're on a mission." Gwen said in mock solemnity. Natasha shot her a glare and Gwen smirked back at her.

"Gwen's right guys. Eyes on the prize." Steve said, as if he didn't pick up Gwen's sarcasm. Gwen pursed her lips together and widened her eyes to hide her grin. Wanda gave her a grin in return. "This is the best lead we've got on Rumlow."

"Wait, who?" Gwen was not filled in on who Rumlow was. She just thought they were headed after obscure HYDRA agents.

"HYDRA b******." Wanda told her, examining a painted black nail.

"Wow, thanks. I've no idea what I'd do without you Wanda." Gwen muttered and rolled her eyes. "I already knew we were hunting down HYDRA b******s what I wanted to know was if he was someone I should've heard of."

"He's one of HYDRA'S leaders. You probably haven't heard of him. That's not surprising." Steve told her. "Now focus." He begged in an exasperated tone. "Its been six months. I don't want to lose him."

"If he sees us coming that won't be a problem." Sam said with a small chuckle. "He kind of hates us."

There was loud honking from down the street. Not that it made any large impact on Gwen. This was a big city full of loud noises. Not of consequence. "Sam, you see that garbage truck? Tag it." Steve told Sam. Sam had little robot buddies that could fly and looked similar to his own Falcon wings. He was most likely releasing one now.

"That trucks loaded for max weight. And the drivers armed." Sam told them.

"Its a battering ram." Natasha said.

"Go now." Gwen heard Steve tell them.

"What?" Wanda asked.

"He's not hitting the police." Steve said quickly.

"H*** yes. We're doing this live." Gwen commented and reached in her pocket to make sure the pen sword Tony had given her was still there.

Natasha grabbed a motorcycle that she had brought. Wanda could fly. Sam picked up Steve and gave him a ride. Gwen looked hopefully to Wanda who rolled her eyes and used her magic to help lift her up.

Steve's voice came over the radio. "Body Armor. AR fifteens. I make seven hostiles."

"I make five." Sam told them. Wanda and Gwen flew in over the roof of the Institute For Infectious Diseases or the IFID. Wanda dropped Gwen a few feet away from where she landed.

Wanda and Gwen both conjured shields to block the gunfire. Wanda froze him and lifted him up in the air. "Gwen." Gwen grinned and drew her sword. The sharp blade popped out. Wanda threw the HYDRA agent to her and Gwen slashed her sword with a flash and cut the agents throat. "Four." Sam corrected himself. "Rumlow's on the third floor."

"Wanda, Gwen. Just like we practiced." Steve told them, getting ready to jump.

"What about the gas?" Wanda asked. The HYDRA agents had gas masks and had thrown a few gas bombs through the windows.

"Get it out." Steve said. Gwen conjured a step for the super soldier to jump on and get through the third window, while Wanda focused on removing the gas from the building.

While she was doing that, Gwen and Sam took care of the other HYDRA agents. Sam shot at them while Gwen conjured a few weapons to block the bullets and take out a few agents. Sam gave her a look and Gwen nodded knowing what he wanted her to do. She stepped in front of him and conjured a large shield to block the enemy fire. Sam launched two missiles from his suit which wiped them out.

"Rumlow has a biological weapon." Steve told them over the radio.

"I'm on it." Natasha replied.

"Caesar, where's Nat?" Gwen asked her AI system.

"Agent Romanoff appears to be on the other side of the building." Caesar told her and her sunglasses gave her a view of the building, showing her where she was and where Nat was.

"Great." Gwen muttered. She concentrated on conjuring a few steps for her to take over the building. "Nat's on the other side of the building I'm going to go help her out." Gwen told the others.

"Who's Caesar?" Was Wanda's only reply.

"My imaginary boyfriend." Gwen said sarcastically though she wished she hadn't because now she thought of Loki. Which was as painful as it ever was.

"Mmm. Is he hot?" Wanda teased in reply. Gwen said nothing because she knew she would choke on the words and make everyone uncomfortable.

When Gwen finally made it over the building, Rumlow had thrown Nat into a tank with a grenade. "S***." Gwen swore and drew her sword. "Hey, b******! Come and have some fun with me!" Gwen shouted to him. Rumlow pulled his gun and fired rapidly. Gwen quickly conjured a shield and ducked under it, slowly edging her way closer to the tank. The back doors of the tank exploded and Nat flew out unscathed, incredibly. Gwen knelt by her coughing figure. Rumlow had used her distraction as a chance to get in another tank. Steve appeared on the balcony on the third floor. The tank Rumlow was in was slowly driving away. They fired a missile at Steve. Gwen cried out a warning, as if Steve couldn't see the missile flying towards him. Steve was thrown back in to the building. "Steve?" Gwen called desperately over the com links.

"I'm alright." Steve groaned. "Sam, he's in an AFV heading north."

"I'm on it." Sam replied.

Gwen turned to Natasha. "You good?" Natasha nodded and sat up. "Good. I'm going to go get Wanda and follow Sam." Gwen stood up and leaped up her conjured steps back to the other side of the building where Wanda was fighting off one last HYDRA agent.

"Come on." Gwen called when Wanda finished. "They're headed north." Wanda ran over to her and lifted her up and they flew off after Sam.

"I've got six. They're splitting up." Sam told them.

"I've got the two on the left." Natasha said.

"We've got the other two." Gwen said, spotting the two that were running down an alley. "Wanda drop me at this end. You go the other end." Wanda did so. Gwen landed hard on her feet and slowly stood up. Wanda landed on the other side, trapping the two agents. The two agents split up, each going after one of the two sorcerers. Gwen yet again drew her sword. She slashed at him and he ducked landed a punch on her stomach. Gwen gasped from the blow and conjured the alley so that it spun, which knocked the guy over. Gwen slashed her sword and the HYDRA agent fell over dead. Wanda had taken care of her man, so they checked them for the weapon. "We've got nothing." Gwen reported to the others. The two wizards ran back to the main fight in the market. They could hear screaming.

"I've got the payload." Natasha told them over the radio.

"Where's Steve?" Gwen asked Caesar.

"Captain Rogers is in the middle of the market, fighting off Agent Rumlow of HYDRA." Caesar told her. Gwen gained a visual and ran harder to where Steve was.

When they arrived, Steve was holding Rumlow by his vest. Rumlow was kneeling, telling Steve something. Then Rumlow pulled out another grenade. Gwen reacted quickly, altering the ground so Steve and the other civilians were out of harms way. Wanda conjured a shield around Rumlow, making the explosion only around him. Rumlow screamed in pain. Wanda gasped in concentration. Slowly, she lifted Rumlow into the air. But she lost control at the last second and sent the explosion into the top floor of a nearby building. Passerby's screamed in terror. Wanda clapped a hand over her mouth. "Sam, we need fire and rescue. On the south side of the building." Steve said before running into the building himself. Gwen wanted to comfort Wanda but she also knew that those people in there needed help.

Gwen put the ground back in its original position and ran into the building. She jogged as fast as she could, trying and failing to keep up with Steve. When they reached the top floor, the Captain already had two civilians draped over his shoulders. "There's one more in the very back. You got it?" Gwen nodded in affirmation and ran to the back room. There was an elderly woman, crouched in the corner coughing. Gwen wasn't a super soldier with super strength like Steve, but this woman couldn't have weighed more than seventy pounds. Gwen scooped down and picked her up, huffing slightly as she slowly walked out. Steve was back. "I'll take her." Steve grabbed the woman out of Gwen's arms and ran off. Gwen puffed out a few breaths, started coughing, and then ran to catch up with Steve.

A*A*A

Gwen was watching the news in her room, while brushing out her hair. The king of Wakanda, whose people had been in Lagos during the incident with Rumlow, was condemning the acts of the Avengers, saying that they were indifferent to the lives around them. That made Gwen angry. Yes, civilians had died and yes, mistakes were made. But that didn't mean they didn't care about what was happening. Gwen would give anything to take it all away. But she couldn't and that was that. Who was this guy anyway, to say that they didn't care? Of course they cared. They were the first to respond, for heavens sake!

Then there was the fact that you couldn't prevent casualties in a battle. That was just going to happen. It wasn't pretty but that was the truth.

"Someone needs to give him a... What did you call it?" A voice called from the corner. Gwen looked up though she already knew who it was. Loki. "Oh, that's right. A chill pill." Loki said, examining a nail.

"He's got a right to be mad. His people died." Gwen said quietly. She knew Loki wasn't really there but she missed him so much that she couldn't just ignore it.

"Maybe." Loki replied with a shrug. "But that doesn't mean he can blame the Avengers every time someone decides to blow himself up." Gwen rolled her eyes because the idea was ridiculous. She opened her mouth to reply, but was interrupted.

Someone knocked on her door. Gwen turned off the TV, put down her brush and opened it whilst braiding her hair which had grown out. It was Sam. "Hey. We've got a visitor. He wants to see all of us."

"Alright." Gwen replied. She followed Sam down to the room where they held their meetings. An older looking man in a fancy suit walked up to them. The other Avengers were already sitting at the table. "Ah, Mr. Wilson." The man grabbed Sam's hand and shook it firmly. "Good to see you again. And Ms. Strange. I don't think I've had the pleasure. I'm Secretary Ross." He shook Gwen's hand as well. Gwen had no idea why, but she already didn't like him. "Please, have a seat."

Gwen sat behind Steve and across from Sam. Ross began. "Five years ago, I had a heart attack, and I dropped, right in the middle of my back swing." He demonstrated for their viewing pleasure. "Turned out it was the best round of my life, because, after thirteen hours of surgery and a triple bypass, I found something forty years in the army never taught me. Perspective." Gwen resisted the urge to snort. Here we go. "The world owes the Avengers an unpayable debt." _D*** straight._ Gwen thought. "You have fought for us, protected us, risked your lives. But while a great many people see you as heroes, there are some who would prefer the word vigilantes."

"And what word would you use, Mr. Secretary?" Natasha asked.

"How about dangerous?" Ross said dramatically. "What would you call a group of US based, enhanced individuals who routinely ignore sovereign borders and inflict their will wherever they choose and who frankly, seem unconcerned about what they leave behind?"

"Would you rather they didn't stop Loki from taking over the world? Or Ultron?" Gwen asked, though she nearly choked on Loki's name. "Because that's what it sounds like your suggesting."

"Not at all. Haven't I said we owe you an unpayable debt?" Ross said. "But, I am suggesting something else." He turned to another table and clicked a remote. "New York." Footage of Loki's attack on New York. "Washington DC." A quinjet crashed into a body of water. "Sokovia." The ground was lifted into the air and buildings crashed down. "Lagos." A young girl's dead body was shown along with video of the explosion.

"OK, that's enough." Steve requested, eyeing Wanda carefully.

Ross shut off the screen. "For the past four years, you've operated with unlimited power and no supervision. That's an arrangement the government's of the world can no longer tolerate. But I think we have a solution." Ross placed a small book in front of Wanda. "The Sokovia accords. Approved by 117 countries, it states that the Avengers shall no longer be a private organization. Instead, they'll operate under the supervision of a United Nations panel only when and if that panel deems it necessary."

"The Avengers were formed to make the world a safer place." Steve began. "I feel we've done that." Gwen unconsciously nodded at Steve's words.

"Tell me Captain do you know where Thor and Banner are right now?" Ross asked.

"Thor is on Asgard." Gwen said. "Not exactly a big leap." Gwen knew this wasn't the time for sarcasm, but she just couldn't help herself.

"Are you in contact with Thor?" Ross asked her.

Gwen shook her head. "I haven't had contact with Thor in about two months."

"Then we'll continue to assume their position is unknown. If I misplaced a couple of thirty megaton nukes, you can bet there'd be consequences. Compromise. Reassurance. That's how the world works. Believe me, this is the middle ground."

"So, there are contingencies." Rhodes said. It wasn't a question.

"Three days from now the UN meets in Vienna to ratify the accords. Talk it over." Ross made to leave.

"And if we come to a decision you don't like?" Natasha asked before he could leave.

"Then you retire." Ross replied easily. Then he turned and left.

 **a/n: Hope you enjoyed that chapter! Just a PS. Loki's not dead. I know, spoilers! But if you've seen anything for Thor Ragnarok then you'll know that Loki's alive. I'm going to go see Thor Ragnarok on Saturday. I'm very excited to see it and to see how I'll fit Gwen into the story because if the rumors I hear about Loki and Valkyrie are true then we may have a tiny problem. But other than that, I'm really excited to do this story! Thanks to everyone who has read, followed, favorited, and reviewed this story! Please keep it up! Until next time!**


	15. Chapter 15

**a/n: Hello again everyone! I WENT AND SAW THOR RAGNAROK! AND IT WAS AMAZING! I absolutely loved it! My favorite Thor movie of them all! I loved watching it and figuring out how I would fit Gwen into the story. I think I know how I want her to fit in there. I also realized I screwed up the timeline but oh well. I'll figure it out. I'm going to take my younger brothers to see it this weekend, which I'm really excited about. Please enjoy this chapter! (I don't own Marvel)**

"Secretary Ross has a Congressional Medal of Honor." Rhodes argued with Sam. "Which is one more than you have." Gwen rolled her eyes at the comeback.

"So let's say we agree to this." Sam said. "How long is it gonna be before they LoJack us like a bunch of common criminals." Gwen watched Tony in amusement as her rubbed his face dramatically.

"117 countries want to sign this. 117, Sam, and you're just like, no its cool we got it."

"Man, how long are you gonna play both sides?" Sam asked Rhodes, somewhat angrily.

"I have an equation." Vision interrupted their argument. Sam and Gwen rolled their eyes in unison. Gwen wasn't overly fond of Vision. She thought he was too arrogant. A bit like Thor. The only reason Gwen still liked Thor was because he was the only bit of Loki she could still hold on to.

"Oh, this'll clear it up." Sam scoffed.

"In the eight years since Mr. Stark announced himself to be Iron Man, the number of known enhanced persons has grown exponentially. During the same period, the number of potentially world ending events has risen at a commensurate rate." Vision stated.

"You saying its our fault?" Steve asked Vision.

"I'm saying there may be a causality." Vision said.

"Speak English." Gwen retorted. Even with her extensive vocabulary due to a lot of reading and a photographic memory, she had never heard that word before.

Vision ignored her. "Our very strength invites challenge. Challenge incites conflict. Conflict breeds catastrophe. Oversight, is not an idea that can be dismissed out of hand."

"Boom." Rhodes said.

"Tony." Natasha spoke up. "You're being uncharacteristicly non-hyperverbal."

"Its because he's already made up his mind." Steve commented.

Boy, you know me so well." Tony replied with sarcasm, as usual. "Actually, I'm nursing an electromagnetic headache. That's what's going on Cap. Its just pain." Tony made his way to the kitchen. "Its discomfort. Who's putting coffee grounds in the disposal? Copperfield, I swear, if its you again..."

"Tony, I'll clear it out." Gwen replied with a roll of her eyes. She waved her hand and the coffee grounds were cleared from the disposal. "Now, will you get to the point. We were all on the edge of our seats."

"Yeah, well, don't put them in there in the first place. This isn't a bed and breakfast for a biker gang." Tony placed a phone in the fruit basket which showed them a picture of a young boy, not much older than Gwen. "Oh, that's Charles Spencer by the way. He's a great kid. Computer engineering degree, 3.6 GPA, had a floor level gig, an Intel plan for the fall. But first he wanted to put a few miles on his soul. Before he parked it behind a desk. See the world. Maybe be of service. Charlie didn't want to go to Vegas or Fort Lauderdale which is what I would've done, he didn't go to Paris or Amsterdam, which sounds fun. He decided to spend his summer, building sustainable housing for the poor. Guess where? Sokovia." Tony was now angry. "He wanted to make a difference, I suppose. I mean, we won't know because we dropped a building on him while we were kicking a**. There's no decision making process here. We need to be put in check. Whatever form that takes, I'm game. If we can't accept limitations, if we're boundaryless, we're no better than the bad guys."

"Tony, someone dies on your watch, you don't give up." Steve said.

"Who said we're giving up?" Tony argued back.

"We are if we're not taking responsibility for our actions. This document just shifts the blame."

"I'm sorry, Steve. That is dangerously arrogant." Rhodes said. "This is the United Nations we're talking about. Its not the World Security Council, its not SHIELD, its not HYDRA..."

"No, but its run by people with agendas, and agendas change." Steve cut him off.

"That's good." Tony said. "That's why I'm here. When I realized what my weapons were capable of in the wrong hands, I shut it down and stopped manufacturing."

"Tony, you chose to do that." Steve said. "If we sign this, we surrender our right to choose. What if this panel sends us somewhere we don't think we should go? What if there's somewhere we need to go, and they don't let us? We may not be perfect, but the safest hands are still our own."

"If we don't do this now, " Tony began, "Its gonna be done to us later. That's the fact. That won't be pretty."

"You're saying they'll come for me." Wanda spoke up.

"We would protect you." Vision reassured her.

"Maybe Tony's right." Natasha said. "If we have one hand on the wheel, we can still steer."

Gwen interrupted her quickly. "But that's the thing, Nat. You can still steer, but its more dangerous than if you had both hands on the wheel. And if there are two different hands on the wheel and one wants to go one way, while the other wants to go a different way, that's gonna end up in an accident. One that could easily be prevented."

"Its gonna end in an accident if we don't sign this." Tony gestured to the accords.

"Aren't you the same woman who told the government to kiss her a** a few years ago?" Sam asked Natasha.

"I'm just reading the terrain." Natasha explained. "We have made some very public mistakes. We need to win their trust back."

"We're not going to please everyone. No matter what we do. We sign these accords, someone out there is gonna be pissed. We don't sign the accords, someone is gonna be pissed. That's just how it is." Gwen said. "So why not do what we think is right?"

"I'm with Gwen on this." Steve said. "We need to do what we think is best for everyone. Its better if we're the ones calling the shots." Gwen gave him a small smile.

"Natasha agrees with me." Tony said.

"Oh, I want to take it back now." Natasha said.

"No you can't. No retracting it." Tony said. "OK. Its over. Case closed. I win." Gwen rolled her eyes and stood to go to her room, before anyone could stop her.

A*A*A

Gwen lay on her bed, staring at the ceiling. "So, are you going to sign them?" Loki's voice asked. Gwen sat up and rubbed at her face.

"I don't know. What do you think?" Gwen asked, even though she was talking to herself.

"I think you should rip the accords in half and do what you want." Loki said. "Why listen to the government when you can do what you want to do?" Imaginary Loki sat on her bed next to her. "Are you seriously considering signing them?"

"I don't know if I can just ignore the United Nations. I don't want to sign them. But I also prefer not being a criminal." Gwen replied with a shrug.

"Well, its not like that would be anything new. Screw laws. They restrict your fun anyway." Loki told her with a smirk. Gwen could definitely tell that this wasn't Loki. That sounded more like her than anything. "I would honestly be impressed if you didn't sign them." Loki said.

"Yeah, well, you're dead so I'm not going to be looking for opportunities to impress you." Gwen muttered.

There was a knock on Gwen's door. Gwen stood up and opened it. It was Tony. He pushed the door open wider and glanced around her room. "Who were you talking to?" Tony asked.

Gwen shrugged, trying to play it cool. "Myself. I find it very therapeutic. Can I help you, Stark?"

"Yeah." Tony sat on her bed. "You can sign the accords."

Gwen took a deep breath. Now was decision time. "I can't, Tony. It would feel wrong. Especially after I just agreed with Steve out there. And he agreed with me."

"Right. Well, what if I tell your father they you're not following the law. You think he would appreciate that?" Tony attempted to blackmail her.

Gwen gave a small snort. "I'm twenty years old Tony. I'm allowed to make my own decisions. I don't care what he will say."

Tony sighed and nodded to his side. Gwen sat down. "Look, Copperfield. It took a lot for me to convince the government to grant you clemency after they found out you were in league with Loki..."

"If he were still trying to enslave Midgard, I mean the earth, then I wouldn't be "in league" with him as you put it." Gwen said hotly. "Besides, he changed. Not that any of you cared to see it. I didn't ask for your help. We were perfectly fine where we were." Gwen was angry now. She had held this in forever and now it was just starting to come out.

"Yes, well we had no idea what was going on OK? All we knew was that Loki had taken a young pretty girl prisoner and when we found them, well, we had no idea what to think. I'm sorry you and your little boyfriend were split up, but its not my fault you were sleeping with a criminal." Tony snapped at her. Gwen stared back in anger. What did he know about it? About any of it? He was a spoiled, rich, billionaire with no regard for anyone but himself. He was no better than Loki in those terms. Stark had just never been seen as a villian, like Loki had. Gwen knew what Loki had done was evil and he shouldn't have done it, but Stark wasn't a picture of perfection by any scale.

"Well, at least I cared about who I was sleeping with." Gwen hissed. Even though, she hadn't slept with Loki in the way Stark was implying, she didn't feel the need to correct him. She wanted to hit him where it would sting. Pepper. His girlfriend who had recently broken it off. Her excuse was that Tony didn't care enough about her.

Tony flinched, but didn't back down. "Kid, you're still new to this whole Avengers thing. None of us want to see you thrown in jail. Just sign the accords. Or I could hack into Caesar and find out who you were talking to."

Gwen huffed. "If I sign them, will you leave me alone?" She snarled. "And you won't hack Caesar?"

"Yep." Tony replied quickly. "And I'll make Caesar unhackable. Just as a bonus."

"Fine. Hand them over. I'll sign your d*** accords." Gwen said, with an outstretched hand. Tony placed the accords in her hand along with a pen. Gwen scribbled her signature on the page where it asked them to sign and slammed the book shut. She shoved it back into Tony's hands. "Tell the UN to shove that up their a**." Gwen said venomously.

"Why don't you tell them yourself?" Tony said. "Natasha is going to represent us in Vienna when the accords are signed. You could go with her. You would be a very interesting speaker. Tell them about your change of heart."

"Oh, that would be interesting." Gwen mocked. Then she began, mimicking a high pitched tone, "Stark threatened to hack into my personal life if I didn't sign these accords. Isn't he a charmer?" Gwen sneered at him. "Just because I signed the d*** thing doesn't mean I agree with it."

"That's technically what a signature means." Tony told her with a shrug. "Have fun with your theraputical conversations with yourself. I'll go make Caesar unhackable. And you really should go with Natasha. I think it would be good for you." Tony left her room and Gwen slammed the door behind him.

"Never liked that Stark man." Loki told her. "While I'm impressed that you said those things to him, why the h*** did you sign them if you don't agree with them?"

"Because he was threatening to find out that I talk to you in here. If they found that out, I'd be carted off to a mental hospital." Gwen said. "They can't know that I'm seeing you. Not even my dad." Gwen's phone went off. "Speak of the devil." It was her father. She slid the button over to the green answering side. "Hey."

"Hey. Are you OK? You sound stressed." Stephen asked.

"I'm good. Just a small thing with the Avengers. What's up?"

"I'm coming over tonight. Christine invited us over for dinner. She wanted to know if you were interested." Stephen offered. Gwen had met Christine once before. Before she met Dormamu. That felt like a lifetime ago.

"Sure. At her place?" Gwen said. That would be good. It would get her mind off things.

"Yep. Her place at six thirty. I can come pick you up?" Stephen offered.

"Sounds good. See you then." Gwen said. "Love you dad." Gwen said that on impulse. She hadn't told her dad she loved him since before Dormamu. It just felt like a lie, saying that she loved him. How could she, after what she had done? But now Gwen realized that was stupid. She should tell her loved ones that she loved them before it was too late.

"Love you too. Bye." Stephen hung up and Gwen threw her phone on her bed.

"I don't know why you're so desperate to be distracted from me." Loki said, slightly sing song. "You still see me, even if you're with company. You just try to pretend I'm not there."

"Because you're not. You're not here, Loki. You never have been. You're dead. And as much as I wish you weren't there's nothing I can do about it. I need to let you go. And I know it won't happen soon, but I'll take as many distractions as I can get to get rid of you." Gwen was touching imaginary Loki's face, though to an outsider, it would look like she was stroking air. "I loved you. And I still do. And I don't think I can ever love anyone the way I loved you ever again. Or at all. But I need to let go. Seeing you like this will drive me mad. And while it hurts to say it, I need to say it. Good bye." Gwen whispered now, the words coming out softly. She stood on tiptoe and kissed imaginary Loki, which felt so real and yet left her longing for something more real at the same time.

A*A*A

Stephen knocked on his daughters door. Gwen answered and gave her father a hug. "I've missed you." Gwen told him.

"I've missed you too." Stephen said. "You've been keeping busy, as an Avenger. Is it going alright?"

"Its going good. It helps me get better with my magic and all that jazz." Gwen told him as they walked out to the streets of New York. "Oh, speaking of jazz, I found one that you can't possibly know." Gwen pulled out her phone. This was a little game that they had. Gwen tested him on his knowledge of jazz music while he tested her on her knowledge of sixties songs. Gwen found the song and played it. "Name that." Gwen said triumphantly.

Stephen listened for a bit before shaking his head. "Oh, come on Gwen. _Taking a Chance On Love_ by Benny Goodman. 1940." Stephen smirked. "I thought you had actually found a tricky one."

Gwen shook her head and suppressed a smile. "I hate you. Did you find one for me?" Gwen asked eagerly.

"I did, actually." Stephen pulled out his own phone and played a song.

Gwen tapped her foot to the beat. " _Please, Mr. Postman,_ The Marvelettes, 1961."

Stephen nodded at her quickness. "Correct. I actually thought I had you for a minute there."

"Please. You haven't even got close to tripping me up once." Gwen retorted.

"Neither have you." Stephen teased. "Feels So Good, doesn't it?" Stephen was referring to a song that Gwen had tried to trip him up with.

"Shut up." Gwen said. "I guess its our curse, to be eternally clever." Gwen sighed and shook her head.

"Yes, the burden we must carry." Stephen replied in mock sadness. Gwen chuckled lightly.

The two arrived at Christine's door and knocked. Christine opened it a moment later. She looked nice, though she was dressed casually. "Hey." Christine greeted and kissed Stephen. Gwen looked away. Not because it was her father or anything, but because affection just made her feel so lonely. "Guinevere, is that you?" Christine asked Gwen. "You've grown up. Its been what? Three years since I last saw you?"

"Sounds about right. Its good to see you again, Christine." Gwen shook Christine's hand. "Thank you for inviting me. And please call me Gwen."

"Alright. Well come in. Both of you." Christine ushered them inside. Gwen shed her jacket and Stephen shed his as well. "I made lasagna for dinner. Hope you like that."

"It smells amazing, Christine." Gwen complimented.

Stephen moved into the kitchen to help her cook. He sliced the French bread and put it in a bread basket. "So, how's the cult going?" Christine asked him and Gwen snorted.

"Its not a cult. But its going well. No major problems." Stephen said and Gwen snorted again. She assumed he hadn't told her about what she had done. That was a pretty major problem.

"And Gwen, I saw on the news that you joined the Avengers. What's that like?" Christine asked. Gwen was setting the table.

"Oh its alright. Kinda hectic." Gwen said. "But that should be expected with hero work, I suppose."

"What are the Avengers like? Tell me about each of them." Christine said eagerly.

"Well, Captain America is really nice. Iron Man is pretty arrogant but not half bad I suppose." Gwen's voice became stiff at the mention of Tony. Before either her dad or Christine could notice her change in voice, she moved on. "Thor is alright. I haven't seen him in a while. Black Widow is nice but very serious. I haven't seen Hawkeye since his retirement but he's cool. I haven't met the Hulk yet. Scarlet Witch is cool. We've gotten pretty close. Vision isn't bad. Falcon is funny. War Machine is serious but cool. And of course, Doctor Strange is just the worst." Gwen finished. Christine gave a lilting laugh.

"That's what I hear too." Christine said.

"Very true." Stephen said, finishing up slicing the bread.

"I'm only joking. Don't tell the others but I think Scorpion is the worst." Gwen said. "Steve says she's too arrogant and overly confident. Not to mention she never says anything that isn't sarcastic." Gwen said.

"Well, I personally think that Doctor Strange and the Scorpion are the best Avengers, no matter how arrogant and sarcastic they are." Christine said, setting the lasagna on the table. The three of them sat down and served themselves.

"How about you? How's work?" Stephen asked Christine.

"Going good. I still wish you would cone back and be my surgeon on call." Christine still sounded hopeful.

"I can't. The stuff I'm doing is more important." Stephen said. "More important than my previous work. Now, I'm helping save the world." Stephen spoke importantly.

"I know. I wish I could see you more anyway." Christine said. The three discussed work and other things throughout dinner. Then Christine broke out dessert, which was vanilla ice cream with caramel sauce.

They moved into the living room after clearing away the dishes. Christine pulled out some playing cards and they played a few rounds of pinochle. "Gwen, do you still play the piano?" Christine asked conversationally.

Gwen nodded slowly. "Yeah. I haven't played for a few months." Gwen was hesitant to discuss the piano after the connection she made with her music and Loki. She begged in her mind for Christine to not ask her to play.

"Could you play a song for me? You sing too, right?" Christine asked casually.

Gwen swallowed hard and nodded. "Yeah I sing a little." Gwen put down her cards and stood slowly. "Do you have any requests?" She approached Christine's piano.

Christine thought for a moment, before giving her suggestion. "I have a song that's been stuck in my head lately. Do you know _Hallelujah_ by Leonard Cohen?" Gwen inhaled sharply. _No, no, no, no, no. I can't. I can't play it. Not again. Not for you. Not here. Please don't make me. Please, please, please. I can't do it. Not without breaking down._ Gwen's thoughts raced. Her breathing picked up. She didn't give an answer.

Stephen picked up on her hesitation. "Maybe not today. She's kinda distracted with the whole accords thing the Avengers have." He didn't know what was wrong with Gwen, but he knew something was wrong. He had a feeling it had to do with Loki.

"No. Its alright." Gwen said around a dry throat. "I can do that." Gwen sat down on the piano bench, her hands shaking slightly.

"If you don't want to, that's fine. Just trying to get to know you is all." Christine said, eyeing her carefully. She wasn't sure why Gwen looked so nervous. She was so much like her father in some ways that Christine thought it was weird that she ever got nervous.

"Really." Gwen said firmly. Loki had appeared in the corner now. He was smirking at her from the far corner behind Christine. "I can do it."

"You mean you can't resist a chance to show off." Loki called from his spot in the corner.

"Shut up." Gwen said.

"I'm sorry?" Christine asked.

"Not you. Sorry. I'm talking to myself." Gwen said with a shake of her head. Christine gave her an odd smile, but didn't question her. Gwen gave a shake of her head to help herself concentrate. She could do this. She had to do this. She had to let Loki go. Gwen placed her fingers over the keyboard, her hands still shaking slightly and began the song. She messed up a chord in the introduction and cursed herself bitterly. Then she came to the actual song part.

 _"I've heard there was a secret chord,_

 _That David played and it pleased the Lord,_

 _But you don't really care for music do you?_

 _It goes like this, the fourth, the fifth,_

 _The minor fall, the major lift_

 _The baffled king composing, h_ _allelujah_

 _Hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah_

 _Your faith was strong but you needed proof_

 _You saw her bathing on the roof_

 _Her beauty in the moon light over threw you_

 _She tied you to a kitchen chair_

 _She broke your throne, she cut your hair_

 _And from your lips she drew the hallelujah_

 _Hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah_

 _Baby I've been here before,_

 _I know this room, I've walked these floors_

 _I used to live alone before I knew you_

 _And I've seen your flag on the marble arch_

 _Love is not a victory march_

 _Its a cold and its a broken hallelujah_

 _Hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah_

 _There was a time you let me know_

 _What's really going on below_

 _But now you never show it to me do you?_

 _And remember when I moved in you,_

 _The holy dove was moving too_

 _And every breath we drew was hallelujah_

 _Hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah_

 _Maybe there's a God above,_

 _But all I've ever learned from love_

 _Is how to shoot at someone who out drew you_

 _And its not a cry you can hear at night,_

 _Its not somebody who's seen the light_

 _Its a cold and its a broken hallelujah_

 _Hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah."_

Gwen finished the song. She didn't break down like she thought she would. Not on the outside anyway. On the inside, she felt broken. But she also felt she now better understood the song. Especially that last verse.

Christine applauded. Her dad did as well, but more slowly, trying to examine his daughter's face. He knew she was shaken, but had no idea why or how badly. "You're amazing. You have a real talent there, Gwen." Christine complimented.

"Thank you." Gwen whispered. She sat back down in her seat and picked up her cards. They played a few more rounds.

"So, Gwen." Christine asked on their fifth round. She had just bid twenty six as a starting bid. "What about your personal life? Any friends? A cute boyfriend?"

Gwen yet again felt her heart leap. "Christine..." Stephen said quietly. Gwen shot him a look to tell him to shut up.

"I think she's old enough now, Stephen." Christine said. "So..."

Gwen forced out a chuckle. "No boyfriend for me Christine. I'm a loner. But the Avengers ate my friends."

"What about that Captain America? I hear he's single." Christine teased.

"Christine..." Stephen said again, but it was too quiet for her to hear.

Gwen gave an actual laugh. Her and Steve? Steve was nice and all, but she didn't feel that way about him. He actually reminded her a bit of her brother Gabe. "He was frozen in ice for seventy years. That makes him about ninety four, I think. A little too old for me." Then Gwen laughed again. If he was too old for her, then certainly Loki had been, as he was over a thousand years old.

Christine laughed as well. "That's true." The three finished the round before Stephen and Gwen had to leave. "Thanks for coming over. We'll have to do it again soon. Maybe Friday?"

"I'm free next Friday." Stephen said. "And if I'm not, I'll get free." Christine laughed.

"You would be welcome as well Gwen." Christine offered politely.

Gwen shook her head. Her dad could use a date night, without her around. "No thanks. I've got Avenger things to do. I'll walk ahead." She told her father. Stephen nodded, knowing she wanted a little time alone. "Thank you for dinner Christine. It was amazing." Gwen complimented.

"No problem. See you later." Christine said with a little wave. Gwen waved back and walked away.

Stephen caught up a few minutes later. "Are you OK?" He asked his daughter.

"Yeah, of course." Gwen said, a little too cheery. "So, you and Christine have been dating for three years. Are you ever going to pop the question?" Gwen asked, teasing slightly.

Stephen shrugged. "I don't know. Maybe. Would you be OK with that?"

"Yeah. I would." Gwen nodded in affirmation. "And you really should ask her." Gwen whispered. She only wished she had three years with Loki. And she never would get that time back. He was gone and all Gwen had left of him was her memories and the imaginary Loki that haunted her every moment, waking or sleeping.

"I'm sorry about... Everything." Stephen said.

"Its not your fault. Neither is it Christine's. She didn't know." Gwen said with a shrug. "And I'd like to keep it that way, at least for a little while." Gwen said.

"You know I wouldn't tell her unless you gave me permission to first." Stephen said. He hesitated for a while before coughing and speaking again. "That song, any particular reason you were hesitant to play it?" Gwen remained silent but nodded. "If you don't want to talk about it, that's fine." Stephen said hurriedly.

Gwen shook her head. "Its fine. That's the song that I... That I played for... For Loki. Right after I knew that I... Loved him." Gwen took a lot of deep breaths and hard swallows. "Its just a hard song for me to play now. But I'm trying to let go." Gwen explained.

"You didn't have to play it." Stephen said.

"I know. But then Christine would've been suspicious." Gwen said. "I'm fine, really. I just need some more time." The father and daughter arrived at the floor with all their rooms. "You're staying the night, right?" Gwen asked.

Stephen nodded. "Yeah. Have a good night."

"You too." Gwen said. Then she headed to her room. Loki was lounging on her bed. "Go away." Gwen muttered. "This isn't making it any easier."

Loki hummed. "Maybe not. But I don't exist to make your life easier, do I?" Loki smirked at her.

Gwen rolled her eyes but almost smiled. This was more like Loki. Sounded like something he would say. Imaginary Loki raised his eyebrows at her and Gwen smiled. Then she shook her head and smacked herself. He wasn't real. He was gone and he wasn't here. "Shut up and get out of my head." Gwen said. Then her voice caught. "Please. I can't live like this anymore. I'm dying and I can't do this for the rest of my life." Then she stomped off into her bathroom and fell to the floor.

A*A*A

Gwen agreed to go to Vienna with Natasha. Not because she agreed with the accords or anything, but because she needed as many distractions as possible. Natasha should be a good distraction. And the accords would be as well. Gwen had no idea how big of a distraction this would end up being.

They took a flight down to Vienna. Neither really spoke except to ask for food. There was a little bit of tension between the two Avengers as they had disagreed so openly earlier.

When they arrived at the building where they would sign the accords, they met with the King of Wakanda and the Prince of Wakanda. The two heroes made polite conversation with the royalty of the country whose people had died. Natasha apologized for the events in Lagos. The most Gwen could manage was to not glare at the two and keep her mouth shut. Then the event started. King T'Chaka, the king of Wakanda began his speech about how this was the right thing to do. Then the kings son, Prince T'Challa, shouted out a warning for everyone to duck and the place exploded.

 **a/n: Hope you enjoyed that chapter! Sorry if anyone is OOC. I'm working on it! Thanks to those who continue to read/follow/favorite/review! You guys are amazing! And I'm super excited to get this story to Thor Ragnarok! Should be fun! Until next time then!**


	16. Chapter 16

**a/n: Hello again! Just wanted to clear up that this isn't a story to bash any specific character. I like all the Avengers. This is just how I imagined Gwen getting along with each Avenger. Also, I've decided to reply to your reviews via each update. Hope you like that. Please enjoy! (I don't own Marvel)**

 **Dally'sTUFF- Thank you! Hope your still reading and enjoying!**

 **artemis7448- Thank you! Glad you like it.**

 **Captain Panties- Thanks! You're the reason I decided to start updating again, so thank you!**

 **C.C. Capitols- Thank you for all your really nice reviews! You're awesome!**

 **TheCrazyOne87- So I looked a bit closer at Tom's eyes and you're right. Thank you for the correction. Hope you're liking this!**

Gwen didn't duck when T'Challa shouted for everyone to duck. Instead she stood up and started to conjure a shield to block the blast from outside. She wasn't quick enough. She barely had time to cover the table she and Natasha were at before she was knocked backward from the impact. Coughing and gasping, she sat up. She looked around wilidly for Natasha, only to find her several feet away, lying spread eagled on the ground. Gwen slowly crawled toward her friend and shook her awake. This probably wasn't proper medical procedure, but Gwen wasn't thinking straight. Natasha came to and together the two Avengers helped everyone out of the building.

A*A*A

Gwen had placed herself on a bench far from Natasha and T'Challa. Not because she was angry or scared. She just wanted to be alone. Give herself some time to think. She had looked up on her phone the news article containing information about the explosion. The man they had identified as the terrorist was James Buchanan Barnes aka the Winter Soldier. Gwen had heard of him. Steve had talked about him when he was trying to comfort her.

 _"I'm sorry about Loki." Steve apologized. Gwen merely nodded. "I know a bit about losing people."_

 _"Who?" Gwen whispered._

 _"The girl I love. She's not dead, but she's moved on without me. I don't blame her. I was frozen for seventy years. I wouldn't have expected less." Steve told her. "My best friend, Bucky. He's not dead either. He's not old. He worked for HYDRA. You ever hear of the Winter Soldier?" Gwen nodded again. The Winter Soldier had assassinated so many that he was on the news a lot. "I have no idea where he is now." Steve said sadly. "He was like a brother to me."_

 _"I lost my brother too." Gwen muttered. "In a car crash. I miss him a lot." Steve touched her hand comfortingly._

 _"If you ever want to talk, I'm here." Steve told her._

Gwen's phone vibrated in her hand. Gwen glanced at the caller ID. It was Steve. "Yo?" Gwen said, attempting a casual voice.

"Kid," Steve voiced his relief. "Thank goodness you're OK. What about Natasha, is she..." Steve trailed off.

"Yeah, she's good." Gwen assured him. "Steve, have you seen who they think did this?"

"Yeah, I saw it." Steve replied.

"What are you gonna do? Are you gonna cone here?" Gwen asked.

"I'm already here." Steve said. Gwen glanced around. "Look by the telephone poles." Steve hinted. Gwen glanced in the direction he said and grinned. There was Steve in the usual super hero disguise. Baseball cap, jacket and sunglasses. Then she lost her grin.

"Steve, if you interfere, they'll arrest you. You're already in trouble with the accords. Be careful, OK?" Gwen instructed him.

"I'm always careful kid." Steve assured her. "And I'm gonna bring him in. Are you in?" He was asking if she would help.

"Have you talked to Nat?" Gwen asked, curious if he asked her for help.

"Yeah." Steve seemed to pick up on what she wanted to know. "I didn't ask for her help."

"Why did you ask for mine, then?" Gwen asked. Why would Steve want her help over Nat's? He barely knew her whereas, he had known Natasha for a long time.

"Because your smart. And because I trust you. And because Nat told me not to interfere so she's unlikely to interfere herself." Steve explained. "So, are you in?"

Gwen nodded immediately. "I'm in."

"Good. Meet Sam and I at the tea shop a few blocks down from where you are now. Don't tell Nat." Steve told her before hanging up.

Gwen pocketed her phone and began to follow Steve from a safe distance away. She was blocked however, by the person she least expected to see. "Gwen?" It was her father. He was dressed in his usual Kamar Taj clothing, Levi (the nickname Gwen had given his Cloak of Levitation) was draped around his shoulders. Stephen pulled her into an embrace. "Thank heavens." He breathed.

"I'm fine, dad. How did you get here so fast?" Gwen asked.

"Gwen, we have sling rings." Stephen pointed out the obvious.

"Oh, right." Gwen said. "What are you doing here?"

"I've come to check on my daughter, like a responsible father should." Stephen said. "Where are you going?"

Gwen quickly thought of a lie. "For a drink." She said with a shrug. "Something to calm my nerves, you know? A little time alone." She didn't like lying to her father, but she also didn't want to drag him into the middle of this. "I'll be fine, really. In fact, I'll come home when I'm ready." She pulled out her sling ring. "Now, you should probably go. Levi is drawing some attention." Passerby's were staring at the odd couple in awe and wonder.

"Right. See you soon?" Stephen asked, pulling out his sling ring.

Gwen nodded in affirmation. "Definitely." The father and daughter shared another quick embrace before going their separate ways.

Gwen jogged to catch up with Steve and the two walked into the small tea shop a few blocks away. Sam was already there, wearing a similar disguise. Gwen had no idea what it was with them and their disguises. Gwen was wearing a nice dress, which she had worn for the signing of the accords, her glasses with Caesar in them, and a pair of nice boots. Steve sat on Sam's right side and Gwen sat on Steve's right. "They tell you to stay out of it?" Sam asked.

"Sitting right here Sam." Gwen said, slightly offended.

"Oh, sorry. She tell you to stay out of it?" Sam corrected himself, referring to Natasha. "Might have a point." Sam pointed out.

"He'd do it for me." Steve said. Gwen could feel him. If Bucky was like a brother to him, all Gwen had to do was put Gabe in Bucky's position. If her brother was under the control of some HYDRA freaks, then nothing could stop Gwen from helping him.

"1945, maybe." Sam said. "I just want to make sure we consider all our options. The people that shoot at you, usually wind up shooting at me."

A girl not much older than Gwen sat on her other side. "Tips have been pouring in since that footage went public. Everybody thinks the Winter Soldier goes to their gym."

Gwen snorted. "Yeah, and I bumped into Channing Tatum at the frozen food section in Walmart." Sam chuckled lightly at her sarcasm and the girl who seemed to know Steve smiled.

"Most of its noise." She slid Steve a file. "Except for this." Steve filed through the file. "My boss expects a briefing, pretty much now so that's all the head start you're gonna get." Steve thanked her. "And you're gonna have to hurry. We have orders to shoot on sight." The girl left.

"Who was that?" Gwen asked.

"That's Sharon Carter. Peggy's niece." Steve told her. "She works for the CIA." Steve filed through the file. "This says he's in Bucharest. We should go."

"I can get us a Quinjet." Sam said.

"I can get us there quicker." Gwen said. Not to compete with Sam, she was just telling the truth.

"How?" Sam asked.

"Magic." Gwen replied and pulled out her sling ring.

"Good. Suit up. We'll meet back here in ten." Steve said. The heroes went their seperated ways to get into their suits.

Gwen drew a portal back to the jet she and Natasha had flown to in. She dug through her suitcase and pulled out the suit she wore during missions. Black pants, black combat boots, and a black long sleeved shirt. On the front was a picture of a yellow Scorpion. Black and yellow were the colors Tony had chosen for Gwen, based on the song Black and Yellow. There was a thigh holster which held a gun in case her sword or magic wouldn't do. There was also a pocket for her sling ring and another for her pen sword. Gwen tucked those two things in her pocket. Gwen pulled her hair up into a bun and drew a portal back to the alley Sam, Steve and her had agreed to meet in. Steve was already there, decked out in his star spangled uniform. Sam arrived a few moments later, flying and then landing beside Steve. Gwen thought that it was lucky Natasha hadn't seen them. "Right. Here's the plan. I'll find out where he's staying. Sam, Gwen, you guys will go out and look around the city for him. If he's been seen in public, you can be d*** sure the police will be there soon enough."

"Steve." Gwen said. Steve turned to her and Gwen gave a small smirk. "Watch your mouth."

"Kid, you need to learn to be serious on missions." Steve told her, though not without the smallest of smiles playing on his lips. "Sam is."

"Well, that's why I'm here. To keep the mood light." Gwen said. "Can't be getting too serious."

"I thought that was Tony's job." Sam mused. Gwen began to draw the portal.

Gwen tilted her head from side to side. "It was. He's been slacking, so I took over." The trio stepped through the portal to Bucharest. Sam put his hands under Gwen's arms, to lift her up. "Bye Steve. Be careful." Gwen told Steve. She knew he and Bucky were friends but she still worried since HYDRA had control of his mind and since Bucky had just blown up a building.

"You too. Both of you." Steve told them. They all went their seperate ways. Sam flew off through the air, and eventually they landed on a bridge.

"You take that side. I've got this one." Sam said. Gwen nodded and glanced around her side of the bridge.

"Hey Caesar?" Gwen asked.

"Yes, miss?" Caesar replied, coming to life. The images popped up around her sunglasses.

"You wouldn't happen to be able to see if you could find Bucky, aka James Buchanan Barnes, aka the Winter Soldier, would you?" Gwen asked hopefully.

"As a matter of fact miss, I can." Caesar replied. A number of faces from the crowd ran through the facial recognition in her glasses. "I'm sorry miss. There's no match for one James Buchanan Barnes."

Gwen sighed. "Typical." Then she had a thought. "Why is he named James Buchanan? I mean, that's the name of one of the worst presidents in US history. He's the reason the Civil War got started although Lincoln gets most of the blame." Gwen mused out loud. Then she turned to Sam. "You find anything?"

Sam shook his head. "Not a thing. Not even with facial recognition." Sam turned to face her. "You?"

"Nada." Gwen said. "I'll contact Steve. See if he found where he's staying yet." Gwen pressed the button on her com link. "Steve, you there?"

"Yeah, I'm here." Steve said.

"You find anything yet?"

"I found where he's staying. I'll send you the coordinates. He's bound to return sooner or later. We'll wait him out." Steve said. Gwen got the coordinates from Caesar.

"Got 'em." Gwen said when she got the coordinates. "We'll be there soon. Steve, what if he's in crazy Bucky mode? Are you going to be alright?"

"Don't worry about me, kid. Rock of ages, remember?" Steve teased slightly. "I'll be fine. You and Sam just get here. I'll call you in if I need help."

"Can do Cap." Gwen said, her voice somewhat mocking. "Over and out."

"Yeah, whatever." Steve muttered in reply to her teasing.

Gwen tapped Sam on his shoulder. "I've got Steve's coordinates. He says to keep an eye on the building."

Sam nodded. "Let's do this." He picked up Gwen and they flew over to Cap's location. They landed on the roof of a nearby building and crouched down out of sight. Several armed men in bulletproof vests marched into the building. "Heads up Cap. German Special Forces approaching from the south." Sam warned.

"Understood." Captain America's voice replied over the com link. Gwen watched as the cops surrounded the building. Bucky must have slipped in unseen by either of the two heroes.

"They've set the perimeter." Sam commentated on what was going on outside for Steve's benefit. They broke down the door. "They're entering the building." Gwen stood up. Sam grabbed her arm. "Uh uh. Steve can and should handle this on his own. If he needs help, he'll call us in." Gwen scowled, but knew he was right. Suddenly, there were men in the roof of the building. "S***." Sam muttered. "They're on the roof. We're compromised." Sam told Steve before picking up Gwen and the two flew away. "You've got about five seconds." Sam told Steve. "Three seconds." Cops on the balcony below the room where Steve and Bucky were threw in a few bombs. "Breach, breach, breach!" Sam shouted. Several cops swung into the room.

"Now can we help?" Gwen asked.

"Yeah, we're going in." Sam said. The two flew around the corner of the building. The man who Gwen assumed to be Bucky was running across the rooftop. Until another guy kicked him down.

"Who the h*** is that?" Gwen asked.

"No idea." Sam said.

"Sam, southwest rooftop." Cap said.

"Who the h*** is the other guy?" Sam asked.

"I'm about to find out." Steve said. A helicopter came around the other corner of the building. "Sam."

Sam looked to Gwen. Gwen nodded and Sam dropped her onto the rooftop. "Got him." He said and kicked the tail end of the helicopter. Gwen landed hard on her feet and rolled before shooting up and drawing her sword. Bucky used the distraction to get away from the guy in the black suit and ran away. Black suit guy chased after him and Gwen followed the other two. Steve was right behind her. Bucky jumped down into moving traffic. Running her hardest now, Gwen struggled to conjure a rope. She got it right after a few tries and shot it at the man in black's feet. It wrapped itself around one ankle and the man tripped. He turned to see her and yanked his foot towards himself, causing Gwen to fall over. The rope dissipated into thin air. Cursing, Gwen rolled over to avoid being ran over by a car. Steve ran past her, which made Gwen stand up and keep running. She couldn't keep up with Steve and his super soldier speed, so Gwen used her magic to conjure steps under her feet to move her along faster. She almost wished she still had her infinity stone. Surely that could be of some use. But it was too dangerous to carry it around and even to operate it.

Ahead of her, Steve stole a police car. Rushing now, Gwen hopped into the passenger seat as Steve started to pull away. Steve was startled at first, until he saw who it was. He relaxed slightly. There was a thud on the roof of the car. "Great." Gwen murmured. She borrowed Steve's shield to punch out the sun roof and poked her head out. The man in black was holding on to the side of their car. The guy was like a ninja. "Hold on kid." Steve commanded as he swerved right and left. He didn't fall off. "Sam, I can't shake this guy."

"Right behind you." Sam told them. Cop sirens wailed as the two Avengers sped through traffic. Gwen unholstered her gun and poked through the sun roof again. She shot at him. Then she remembered, his suit was bulletproof.

Swearing bitterly, Gwen holstered her gun. "I can't get him."

Steve didn't reply but crashed through the barrier to the other side of the road where Bucky was. A few yards in front of them, Bucky stole a guys motorcycle and sped away on that. Steve and Gwen were close behind now as they entered another tunnel. The man in black jumped from their car over to Bucky. Gwen could hear Steve inhale sharply. Bucky grabbed the man's throat. The guy in black was very agile and he ran on the wall and jumped to the other side, making Bucky lean over so much that he almost fell off. Bucky recovered nicely and threw him off, before speeding away. The man in black made to jump on their car again but Sam grabbed him before he could.

Gwen saw Bucky throw something at the ceiling and it exploded. "Jump!" Steve commanded as he turned the vehicle sharply. Gwen did so and the car rolled behind them. The man in black was fighting Bucky. Steve ran harder and tackled him to the ground. Steve stood up and so did the man in black. Bucky was lying on the ground. Gwen ran up behind Steve, ready to fight. Cops pulled up behind the man in black.

Suddenly, one of Tony's suits landed beside them. But it wasn't Tony that was in them. It was Rhodes. "Stand down, now." Rhodes commanded. Steve shouldered his shield. Gwen clicked the button on her pen/sword and it disappeared. "Congratulations, Cap. You're a criminal." Rhodes said. Gwen strained herself to not roll her eyes at Rhodes's superiority as she was forced to kneel by the officers. Gwen shook her head as she got a flash back from the second time she met Loki. His voice echoed in her mind. _"Kneel."_

The man in the bulletproof black suit removed his mask. It was Prince T'Challa. Gwen was somewhat surprised. She didn't see him as a fighter when she met him. "Your Highness." Rhodes greeted. The police arrested him as well and shoved the five of them in a car.

The heroes, or as Rhodes put it, the criminals, were being escorted to prison by tons of wailing sirens and police cars. Bucky was in a more secure, seperate car. Sam, Steve, Gwen and T'Challa were each in seperated rows of seats. They had given Gwen a cuff that she couldn't remove that binder her magic. How they made that technology, Gwen had no idea. All she knew was that she wasn't escaping easily.

"So you like cats?" Sam asked T'Challa. Gwen snorted and failed at covering it.

"Sam." Steve warned.

"What?" Sam asked. "Dude shows up, dressed up like a cat, you don't want to know more?"

"I, for one, would like to know more. You been around long? What do they call you?" Gwen asked. T'Challa didn't answer.

"Your suit. Its vibranium?" Steve asked.

"The Black Panther has been the protector of Wakanda for generations." T'Challa said. "A mantle, passed from warrior to warrior. And now because your friend murdered my father, I also wear the mantle of king. So I ask you, as both warrior and king, how long do you think you can keep your friend safe from me?" T'Challa was speaking to Steve now. Steve had no answer as they were lead underground.

The doors opened and the four of them got out. They were directed towards a few soldiers, Sharon Carter, and some guy in a suit. Bucky was in a big glass prison. She had no idea what it was with these people and keeping criminals in glass prisons as glass was easily breakable. "What's going to happen to him?" Steve asked.

"Same thing that ought to happen to you." The man in the suit said. "Psychological evaluation and extradition." Gwen held back a laugh at the idea of Steve going through psychological evaluation. She really needed to learn to be more serious. Steve was right.

"This is Everett Ross. Deputy Task Force Commander." Sharon introduced.

"What about a lawyer?" Steve asked.

Ross scoffed. "Lawyer. That's funny." He turned to Sharon. "See their weapons are placed in lockup." Sharon left to comply. "We'll write you a receipt." Ross said snarkily as their weapons and suits were taken away.

"I better not look out the window and see anybody flying around in that." Sam warned as they were lead away. Gwen wasn't too worried. Stark had made Caesar unhackable, the sword only responded to her fingerprint and she didn't think anyone here knew the mystic arts, so they couldn't use her sling ring. The heroes were lead away, Steve giving Bucky one last glance.

A*A*A

Gwen lounged in a chair in an office. They had been given one instead of a prison. Natasha was sitting next to her. "You shouldn't have left." Nat said.

Gwen shrugged. "I wasn't asking for your opinion."

"Well, you should've." Nat snapped back. Then she sighed. "Look, I know you're new to this whole thing -"

"Oh and because I'm new I can't possibly know what I think is right." Gwen interrupted. "I still have a mind of my own. And if anything, I know what I want for myself better than anyone because I've been the exact opposite of what I want to be and that wasn't pretty."

"I wasn't suggesting that you don't know you're own mind, " Nat began. "What I was saying is that maybe you don't understand everything that's going on."

"Maybe. But if I don't, and all I have to go on is what I know, then I'm going this way." Gwen said. Then she apologized. "I'm sorry. I know I made things worse. But I also know what its like to be manipulated. And if HYDRA is controlling Barnes's mind, then I'm the only one who's even close to understanding what he's going through. And I'm still not even close."

Nat was silent. Tony and Steve were in the other office shouting at each other. Gwen snorted. "Who thought that putting those two together would actually get something done?" Natasha actually chuckled.

Tony left the office he and Steve were in and shook his head. He looked over at Gwen. "You uh, you enjoying this Copperfield?" He asked.

Gwen smirked. "A little. Its all so familiar, you know? What with my dead criminal boyfriend and my criminal record. What about you?"

"I'm not." Tony said. Gwen rolled her eyes. "Really. I don't want you or Cap or Sam behind bars. We need all of you. I don't want the team split. But if you're gonna keep this up, then I'm going to stop you." Gwen could tell Tony was sincere in that comment. He really did care about the Avengers and the team. But she was still pissed off at him.

"You sound so confident." Gwen commented.

"Well given that you're behind bars, yeah, I am." Tony said.

Gwen nodded. "Touché." She stood and went into the office where Steve and Sam were.

Steve nodded at her. "You good?"

"Yeah. You?" She asked, sitting across from Sam.

"Yeah. I'm sorry I drug you into all of this." Steve gestured to their surroundings.

Gwen shook her head. "You didn't drag me into this. I involved myself." Gwen smiled at him. "And I wouldn't be anywhere else." OK, so that wasn't entirely true. She would rather be with Loki right now, but that wasn't going to happen. Steve gave her a quick smile in thanks.

"I'm OK too. Just so you know." Sam said and Gwen laughed lightly. Sharon entered their office and handed Sam the receipts for their gear. "Bird costume? Come on." Sam asked and Gwen laughed again.

"I didn't write it." Sharon said. She watched Steve carefully, who was watching Bucky on a screen. Suddenly, there was noise to go with the video. Steve nodded at Sharon who nodded in return.

"Do you know where you are James?" A voice in the background asked. Bucky had no reply. "I can't help you if you don't talk to me, James."

"My name is Bucky." Bucky finally spoke.

"Bucky." The voice repeated. "Do you know where you are Bucky?"

"I know why I'm here." Bucky said.

"Why?"

"Why would the task force release this photo to begin with?" Steve asked. He lifted the photo of Bucky bombing the UN meeting.

"Get the word out, involve as many eyes as we can?" Sharon replied.

"Right. Its a good way to flush a guy out of hiding." Steve said. Gwen knew that tone. It was the one he used when teaching her and Wanda. He was trying to get something more across. "Set off a bomb, get your picture taken. Get seven billion people looking for the Winter Soldier." He looked at Gwen specifically now.

"You think he was framed?" Gwen asked hesitantly. Steve nodded. "To find him?"

"Steve we looked for the guy for two years and found nothing." Sam said.

"We didn't bomb the UN. That turns a lot of heads."

"Yeah, but that doesn't guarantee that whoever framed him would get him. It guarantees that we would." Sharon said.

"Maybe that's exactly what they want." Gwen muttered.

"Exactly." Steve said.

"Tell me Bucky. You've seen a great deal, haven't you?"

"I don't want to talk about it." Bucky mumbled.

"You fear that, if you open your mouth, the horrors might never stop." The voice replied. "Don't worry. We only have to talk about one." In a flash, all the screens went black. A flashing red light shined in the distance. Gwen could see Ross frantically waving his arms at the screen.

Sharon looked at all three of them. This was their chance to escape. "Sublevel five. East wing." She said. Steve, Sam, and Gwen took off running.

They turned down the corridor Sharon had told them to. The prison Bucky had been in was broken. There were several dead soldiers on the ground. "Geez." Gwen whispered. She bent down next to one and checked for a pulse. There wasn't one. "Help me." A voice called out to them.

Steve marched over to the man. "Get up." He lifted him up easily and pinned him against the wall. "Who are you? What do you want?"

"To see an empire fall." The man said. There was a loud grunt behind them. Sam was being thrown by the Winter Soldier. Steve let go of the man immediately and engaged Bucky in a battle. He punched and shoved Steve all the way across the room to a wall. Gwen tried to conjure a weapon, momentarily forgetting about the cuff on her wrist. She charged in anyway and grabbed Bucky's arm as he pulled it back to punch Steve. Bucky let go of Steve and punched her hard enough to send her across the room. He punched through the elevator and Steve went through too. Gwen slowly got to her feet and lifted her arm to punch Bucky. Bucky caught her arm with ease, which, crushed her cuff. Gwen wasnt grinning for long because he then broke her wrist and threw her through the elevator as well.

Gwen landed on top of Steve who groaned in pain. "Sorry." Gwen muttered through gritted teeth. She lifted a hand up to her wrist to heal it.

"Its alright." Steve said. "You good, kid?"

Gwen shook her wrist. It didn't hurt anymore, so she nodded. "Yeah, I'm good."

"Then let's go. Think you can get us out of here?" Steve said urgently.

"Yeah." Gwen said. She conjured a pedestal and Steve stepped on it. She lifted it up in the air and they made it to the floor they had been kicked off. Steve took off running up the stairs. "How do you know where he's going?" Gwen asked as she jogged her hardest to keep up with Steve and she was still quite a bit behind him.

"Everyone else is downstairs. You can hear them. He doesn't want to be seen." Steve called. You could hear the sound of everyone running about downstairs. Gwen fell behind Steve as she started to run out of breath. She slowed her jog.

When she finally reached the top, she started to sprint again. She could hear a helicopter now. She reached the helicopter pad and saw Steve holding the helicopter back from taking off. Bucky was in the helicopter. Gwen froze in admiration. Steve was stronger than she thought he was. Then Bucky turned the helicopter sharply so it almost hit Steve.

"Steve!" Gwen cried out. She conjured a shield over him to protect him from being hit by the helicopter. The helicopter stopped spinning and Steve slowly sat up, nodding at Gwen in appreciation. Then, a hand broke through the glass and grabbed Steve by the throat. The helicopter began to tip over the edge. Swearing softly, Gwen ran forward to help. She was too late. The helicopter fell over the edge along with Steve and Bucky. "Steve!" Gwen screamed. Without thinking, Gwen ran to the edge and performed a graceful dive into the water. She kicked and swam as hard as she could. Steve was alive. He was freeing Bucky from his seat in the helicopter. They surfaced and coughed, taking in deep breaths.

"You good?" Steve asked her.

Gwen nodded. "Yeah." Then she grinned. "How many times do you think you've asked me that today?"


	17. Chapter 17

**a/n: Hello again! Please enjoy! (I don't own Marvel)**

 **TheCrazyOne87- Thank you for reviewing! It just brightens my day. You weren't offensive, so don't worry about that. I love constructive criticism. I completely agree with you and its something I've been meaning to work on. I tried a bit harder in this chapter. I hardly let myself watch the movie (though I mostly quoted it from memory). Please continue to tell me what you think. Thanks again for the advice and I'm glad you're enjoying it!**

Gwen sat next to Bucky, who was pinned down by some machinery. Steve had asked her to keep an eye on him. They were in hiding now. The entire world seemed to be on the lookout for them. Gwen was messing around with her magic at the moment. Conjuring different shields and ropes and things. She heaved a great sigh. "What am I doing?" She muttered to herself.

"An excellent question." Loki answered her from across the room. He was wearing his usual smirk and lounging in a chair. "I thought you were going with Thor to look for infinity stones before Thanos could find them." Thor had asked for her help a while back. He had offered her a place beside him to find infinity stones. Apparently, Loki had told him about Thanos and Thor was desperate to stop him. Gwen had almost taken the tempting offer. To kill Thanos and steal his weapons might be of some comfort to her. But she also knew the dangers of getting sucked into a revenge plot. And as much as she hated herself for thinking it, she was still terrified of Thanos.

"I was." Gwen admitted. "But Steve needed my help. The Avengers needed my help."

"You do recall that your heroes are the reason we are not together?" Loki sneered. "You do recall what they did to me?" Gwen was saddened at his sneer. She hadn't seen that side of Loki since before she told him that she loved him. And she had hoped that she never would again.

"You were trying to take over Midgard." Gwen reasoned. "And believe me, I'm still pissed at them for what they did. But they're also good people with a good agenda. And I'd like to help them."

"That does sound like you." Loki conceded with a sigh. "I suppose I'll have to live out my criminal days alone."

Gwen smiled sadly. "You're dead. Remember?"

"Oh, yes. I forgot." Loki smiled at her.

"I'll help Thor after all this is over. I'd still like to see Asgard and meet Odin." Gwen wasn't terribly fond of Odin after the stories Loki told her about the man, but if she could forgive Loki, then she could forgive Odin. And if she was being perfectly honest, Loki was probably exaggerating.

"Good." Loki said approvingly. Gwen knew that Loki wasn't approving this. That was her more than Loki. Loki's voice turned gentle. "In another life, you would've been Queen of Asgard. A fitting position for one so beautiful and wonderful as you." Gwen choked. She knew Loki was dead. Nothing would change that. But right now, it was as if he were back. Teasing her and complementing her. She wished desperately that he was there.

She also knew he was being truthful. Thor had visited her a bit after she received the news of Loki's death. Thor wanted her to know all of Loki's last words. _"He said that he loved you. More than he thought he could ever love someone. He said that if I still didn't want the throne, and if it were his, that you would be the Queen of Asgard. In fact, he says he was going to propose to you a few days after the incident. He was worried that it would be too soon, what with only knowing you for several weeks, but he wished that he had done it." Thor handed her the ring Loki would've given her. "I'm deeply sorry that I seperated you from him. I have never seen my brother so happy before in his life. I hope you can find it in you to forgive me, Gwen."_

Gwen lifted her necklace out from underneath her shirt. Where her infinity stone once hanged, now hanged the ring. She twisted it back and forth around the necklace. It made her happy and sad at the same time. Sad because it once would've held everything Gwen could've dreamed of. Happy, because it was like a bit of Loki to hold onto. The ring was beautiful. Pure gold with silver wound around it. On the inside was a message in Asgardian. _"To my love, Guinevere."_

Gwen sniffed at the message and shook her head angrily. Why was she still being emotional? And she was talking to herself in front of Sam and Steve. Luckily, neither seemed to be paying her any mind.

Bucky groaned beside her. Gwen looked up from her spot and over at him. He was looking at his arm, trapped in the machinery. "Hey. Relax." Gwen tried tentatively. She had no idea if this was normal Bucky, whom she had briefly met, or crazy Bucky, whom she had met and wasn't terribly fond of. Bucky groaned.

"Where am I?" He asked.

"You're safe. That's all that matters." Gwen assured him. So far, he wasn't crazy Bucky, so that was good. "Here. Have some water." Gwen handed him a cup of water and Bucky slowly drank. "Steve!" She called out. Steve and Sam came jogging into the room.

"Steve?" Bucky asked groggily.

"Which Bucky am I talking to?" Steve asked in reply.

"So far, he seems to be chill Bucky." Gwen said.

"Your mom's name was Sarah." Bucky said, as if to confirm what Gwen had said. Then he chuckled. "You used to wear newspapers in your shoes."

"Can't read that in a museum." Steve said. He seemed to sharing some sort of inside joke with Bucky.

"Just like that we're supposed to be cool?" Sam asked in surprise.

"What did I do?" Bucky asked. Gwen almost laughed. Oh, did she have a story to tell him.

"Enough." Steve said.

Bucky groaned. "I knew this would happen. Everything HYDRA put inside me is still there. All he had to do was say the d*** words."

"Who was he?" Steve asked.

"I don't know." Bucky said.

"People are dead. The bombing, the set up, the doctor did all that just to get ten minutes with you. I need you to do better than I don't know."

"He wanted to know about Siberia." Bucky said, slowly remembering. "Where I was kept. He wanted to know exactly where."

"Why would he need to know that?" Steve demanded.

"Because I'm not the only Winter Soldier." Bucky told them the story of his time with HYDRA, and how they trained him along with other people they had made enhanced to become assassins.

"Who were they?" Steve questioned.

"Their most elite death squad. More kills than anyone in HYDRA history. And that was before the serum."

"They all turn out like you?" Sam asked.

"Worse." Bucky replied solemnly.

"The doctor, could he control them?" Steve asked.

"Enough."

"He said he wanted to see an empire fall."

"With these guys he could do it. They speak thirty languages, can hide in plain sight, infiltrate, assassinate, destabilize. They could take a whole country down in one night, you'd never see 'em coming."

"Well, that makes for a happy conversation." Gwen muttered. She stood up and approached Sam and Steve.

"This would've been a lot easier a week ago." Sam said. Gwen agreed silently. If they could still rely on the Avengers, they could easily take this guy out.

"If we call Tony..." Steve said.

"He won't believe us." Sam and Gwen whispered at the same time.

"Even if he did..."

"Who knows if the accords would let him help." Sam stated.

Steve sighed. "We're on our own."

"We don't have to be." Gwen whispered. "We could call in a few favors."

"Your father?" Steve asked.

Gwen shook her head. "I'm not dragging him into this. He's got enough to deal with as it is. I was thinking more like Wanda. Or Clint."

"I know a guy." Sam said.

A*A*A

Steve had made a few calls. Clint had agreed to help out. He said he would go get Wanda. Sam had called in his guy. Steve had also called Sharon. She was going to get their stuff back. Gwen had gone with Clint to convince Wanda to come with them. Steve had said she would be helpful in that area since she and Wanda were good friends. And Gwen had wholeheartedly agreed to go.

Gwen hadn't seen Clint in a long time. At first, Clint hadn't been too fond of the girl because of her relationship with the God of Mischief. He didn't exactly love the guy for obvious reasons. But, somehow, the two had overcome that and became quick friends. They snuck onto the Avengers compound, distracting Vision with an explosion.

They were right behind them when Vision went through the walls. Wanda heard them and used her magic to lift a knife and point it at them. Clint knocked it away. "Guess I should've knocked."

Wanda sighed in relief when she saw the two. "What are you doing here?" She turned to Gwen. "And you're a criminal now, the news is saying. What's going on?"

"Well being a criminal isn't exactly new for me so I've adapted easily." Gwen said slightly sarcastic. "And Cap needs our help, so let's go."

Clint shot his arrows, creating a barrier for Vision. If he tried to pass that, he would be shocked. Clint took Wanda's hand and the three jogged off. "Clint. Guinevere." Vision called out. "You should not be here."

They turned around. "Really?" Clint said. "I retire for what, five minutes, and it all goes to s***." Gwen managed to keep a straight face after Clint's comment, by some miracle.

"Please consider the consequences of your actions." Vision warned them. "Guinevere, you can still come back."

"Yeah, no." Clint said and he set off the electric shocker. Vision cried out but was stuck in his spot. "OK, we gotta go." Clint said. This time, Wanda hesitated to follow the two.

"Wanda." Gwen called out to her friend. "Please, we need your help."

"I've caused enough problems." Wanda told them.

Clint and Gwen walked back over to the girl. "Wanda, you gotta help us." Gwen said.

"If you wanna mope, you can go to high school. You wanna make amends, you get off your a**. S***." Clint swore. Vision had escaped the barrier.

Clint shot an arrow at him, which went straight through him, and he knocked Clint down. Gwen drew herself a weapon and shot it at him, which yet again went through him. "I knew I should've stretched." Clint muttered. He flicked his bow and it straightened into a long stick. He aimed a few punches at Vision, which had absolutely no effect on him. "Could use a little help Strange." Clint said to Gwen.

"I'm working on it, Legolas." Gwen stole Tony's nickname for the guy. Gwen conjured another weapon and sent it at him. He merely phased through it. Not sure what she was doing, Gwen jumped on his back and punched him in the jaw. Vision threw her off and she landed on the couch, which was nice, considering she could've landed on the hard, stone floor.

Vision grabbed Clint and held him in a head lock. "Clint, you can't overpower me. Neither can you, Guinevere."

"I know I can't." Clint mumbled, slightly out of breath. He looked over at Wanda. "But she can."

"Vision. That's enough, let him go." Wanda said, slowly spinning some red magic in her hands. "I'm leaving."

"I can't let you." Vision said. Wanda controlled the stone in his mind with her magic. Vision was forced to let go of Clint. Gwen helped Clint to his feet.

"I'm sorry." Wanda said. Gwen knew that tone. She carefully observed Wanda's face. Did she... Like Vision? Gwen could hear it in her voice. She had that tone when she left Loki. Gwen felt her heart go out to her friend.

"If you do this, they will never stop being afraid of you." Vision told her.

"I can't control their fear. Only my own." Wanda said before sending him through the floor, down, down, down, till he hit the bottom.

Clint looked down the hole. "Oh. Come on. We've got one more stop."

A*A*A

Gwen knocked on the door of Sam's guy. A man came to the door. "Can I help you?" He asked.

"Scott Lang?" Gwen asked.

"Who's asking?" Scott asked.

"I am. Mr. Lang, I believe you know an associate of mine, Sam Wilson aka the Falcon?" Gwen asked.

"Oh, yeah. I mean... Never heard of him." Scott said to cover himself. "I mean, I have heard of him. He's an Avenger and he's on the news now, but I've never met him."

Gwen gave a chuckle. "Right. Well, I guess Captain America will have to find help elsewhere." She started to walk away.

"Hang on, did you say Captain America?" Scott called after her. "As in, the Captain America?"

"The one and only." Gwen confirmed with a nod. "He's putting together a team of heroes to help him out, and he was looking for this guy Sam told him to find. Sam says he met him a while ago and that he could do some pretty awesome things." Gwen was slowly dragging him in now. If she flattered him enough, and dropped Steve's name enough, she knew she could get him. "Steve is desperate to have him. He knows we couldn't do this without him. But, if you're not him, then I'd better go find him. So bye." Gwen began to slowly walk away again, waiting for him to stop her again.

"Wait!" Scott shouted. Smirking, Gwen turned back to face him, putting up an innocent facial expression. "I'm him. He's me. I mean, I'm Ant Man." The Ant Man said.

"I thought so." Gwen said with a nod. "Do you have your suit Mr. Lang?" Scott nodded. "Good. Grab it and get in the van. We need to leave ASAP."

"Right. I'll be right back." Scott said. He ran back into his house and came out with his suit and helmet. "Alright. I'm ready."

"Hop in. I'll explain everything on the way." Gwen said. Wanda opened the door for the guy before hopping back into shotgun. Gwen and Scott piled in the back, shut the door, and Clint took off towards the quinjet they had "borrowed" from the facility. "Scott, right?" Gwen asked and Scott nodded. "Scott, we're facing off several Avengers and some psycho assassins who want to take down some countries. Or some guy wants them to take down some countries for him. The psycho assassins I mean. Not the Avengers. The other Avengers are trying to stop us because they don't have the whole story." They had pulled onto the quinjet now. Clint got out and went to go fly the thing. "We're on our way to Germany now, to meet up with Steve and a couple others. That's about all I can give you." Gwen said with a shrug. "Oh! I almost forgot. If you come with us, you're a criminal. Just FYI."

Scott just shrugged. "Not exactly a new feat for me." Gwen smiled. She was starting to like this guy more and more.

"Same here." Gwen paused. "You know, I like you Mr. Lang. Sam was right about you." Gwen nodded at him before going to join Clint and Wanda at the front of the jet.

"So," Clint said. "You like him, huh?" He teased and Wanda grinned.

"Shut up." Gwen snarled. Neither of them seemed to phased by her reaction, but backed off. Gwen was not ready to move on, nor, did she think, that she ever would. She fingered the ring on her necklace. Gwen had no idea what she was doing. If they were caught, she would be going to jail, for who knows how long. And then how could she help Thor? _"Loki, how I wish you were beside me now. You'd know what I should do."_

A*A*A

Gwen watched the car Steve, Sam and Bucky were in pull around the corner. Gwen snorted. "Nice get away car Steve." Clint snorted as well and they hopped out. Steve and Sam and Bucky exited their vehicle. "Clint." Steve greeted. "You know I wouldn't call you if I had any other choice."

"Hey man, you're doing me a favor." Clint replied, shaking Steve's hand.

Gwen smiled at Steve. "Nice get away car." She teased.

"Its low profile." Steve argued. "Oh, I have your things, by the way." Steve popped open the trunk and handed Gwen her sword, sling ring, sunglasses and suit. Gwen grabbed them eagerly, using magic to change into her suit right then and there. She didn't use magic all that often, because if she did, she would never walk again and that would end up badly. But now seemed like a good time to do so. "Thank you for coming." Steve said to Wanda.

Wanda shrugged. "I needed to get off my a**." She replied. Gwen chuckled.

"What about our other guy?" Steve asked.

"Oh we got him. Thanks to me and my amazing convincing skills." Gwen bragged jokingly. "He's had quite a few Red bulls but I think he's made it." They opened the door and Scott was lying there asleep. "Yo, Scott. We're here." Gwen said, nudging his leg. Scott shot upright and rubbed his eyes.

"What timezone is this?" Scott mumbled. Then he saw Steve. His eyes shone with a fangirl like excitement. "Captain America." Scott grabbed his hand and shook it vigorously. Gwen held back a smirk unsuccessfully.

"Mr. Lang." Steve greeted.

"Its an honor." Scott told him. "I'm shaking your hand too long." Scott let go of Steve's hand and proceeded to touch his biceps briefly. "Wow, this is awesome! Captain America." He told Gwen and Wanda, pointing at Steve. Then he gestured to Wanda. "I've met you too. You're great." He turned back to Steve. "Look, I know you know a lot of super people so, thinks for thanking of me."

Gwen coughed to cover a snort. She was still liking Scott more and more. "Thank you for coming. But I should warn you. We're outside the law on this one. So if you come with us, you're a wanted man."

Scott sighed deeply. "Yeah, well... What else is new?" He caught Sam's eye. "Hey man."

"What's up Tic Tac?" Sam greeted him with a nod.

"Yeah. Look, about what happened last time..." Scott began. Sam chuckled lightly.

"It was a great audition, but it will never happen again." Sam assured him. Gwen wanted to know the story behind that conversation. But before she could ask, an alarm went off.

"They're evacuating the airport." Gwen translated the German for them.

"We should get going." Bucky said.

Steve nodded. "Suit up."

A*A*A

Gwen stood with Sam and Bucky in the hangar overlooking where Steve and the helicopter were. "We've got incoming." Sam told them. Tony and Rhodes landed in front of Steve before he could board the helicopter. The helicopter wasnt going to work. "Were going to need a new ride." Sam sighed. He sent Redwing out to go scan for a new ride. The quinjet Tony and the others had taken here. Tony and Steve were talking but Gwen couldn't make out what they were saying. She pressed a button on her sunglasses and Caesar hummed to life. "Hello again, Miss Strange."

Gwen breathed in a happy sigh. "Hey Caesar. Its good to hear your voice again."

"Its good to hear your voice again too, Miss Strange." Caesar told her. Oh, how she missed that Canadian accent.

"Caesar, we talked about the whole Miss Strange thing." Gwen reminded him.

"Right. My apologies miss." Caesar said. "How can I be of service, miss?"

"Can you listen in on what Steve and the others are talking about down there?" She asked him. Caesar had zoomed in to give her a better view of the scene.

"Of course miss." Caesar said. The sound changed and it was Tony speaking. "All right, I've had enough of this. Underoos!" Underoos? Gwen thought. That was a new nickname. She hadn't heard that one before.

There was a blur of motion and then it stopped. Cap's hands were tied together and his shield was in the hands of a guy in a red and blue suit, which must've been Underoos. "Hey guys." He said and Gwen was shocked to hear that he sounded so young. A teenager, at most probably seventeen.

"Nice job kid." Tony congratulated him.

"Thanks. Well, I probably could've stuck the landing better, but you know, new suit and all, but- its nothing Mr. Stark. Its perfect." The kid assured him.

"Yeah, we don't need to- We can talk later." Tony told him. "Just- nice job." Gwen chuckled a little. She was liking this kid.

"Is something funny?" Bucky asked her.

Gwen chuckled again and waved her hand. "Its nothing. Just, this new guy." She told them. They gave her a strange look but didn't question her.

"Right, sorry." The kid said. He saluted to Steve. "Cap. Cap. Cap'n. Big fan." Gwen laughed again. "I'm Spiderman."

"We don't need to- do that." Tony said again. The kid apologized again.

"You've been busy." Steve commented.

"And you've been a total idiot." Tony shot back. "Dragging in Clint. "Rescuing" Wanda from a place she doesn't want to leave, a safe place. Convincing Gwen to join you because she's new and she doesn't understand what's at stake. I'm trying to keep you from tearing the Avengers apart."

"You did that when you signed." Steve told him.

"And what about Gwen? She signed too. Are you going to tell her she's tearing the Avengers apart?" Tony argued.

"Gwen told me what you threatened to do if she didn't sign." Steve shouted. Gwen was a little shocked, because she almost never saw Steve angry. Especially not angry at Tony or the other Avengers. "That you said you'd interfere in her personal life. She's a kid, Tony. And she just lost someone she loved. What do you think was happening with her?" Steve shot at him. Gwen blushed slightly, wondering how Steve knew.

Tony sighed in anger. "No, we're done. You're going to turn Barnes over now, and you're gonna come with us, because its us or a squad of J-SOC guys with no compunction about being polite."

"We found it." Sam said. "The quinjets in hangar five, north runway." Steve lifted his hands and Clint shot an arrow through the ropes that bound his hands. Lang sprung to life and handed Steve back his shield. Then all h*** broke lose. They started fighting on the ground. "Come on." Sam said and the three took off running to go join Steve and the others.

The kid landed on the window beside them. "What the h*** was that?" Bucky asked, glancing over at the windows.

Sam sighed. "Everyone's got a gimmick now."

Gwen found herself smiling as they sped up. The kid swung through the windows kicking Sam in the side. Sam was sent flying away. Bucky lifted his arms to punch him but the kid caught it. The kid was astonished. "You have a metal arm? That is awesome dude!" Gwen grinned wider but kicked him in the side and the kid was sent flying a few feet in the air. "Whoa! What the..." The kid cried, as if he hadn't seen her.

Sam caught him in midair and flew him away. The kid escaped and shot some more ropes around, using them to swing around the terminal. Gwen conjured a sharp, glass like weapon and shot it through his ropes. The kid fell to the ground with an "oof!" Gwen ran over to him. The kid had recovered quickly, shot two more ropes to the ceiling, used them to lift himself up and kick her in the chest. Bucky ripped a sign off of a railing and tossed it at him. "Hey buddy, I think you lost this." The kid said before throwing it back. Gwen conjured a shield in front of Bucky to block the sign. "Whoa!" The kid said. "You're a wizard?"

Gwen widened her eyes and smiled. Clearly this kid had never been in a fight before. "Keep him talking." Loki's voice told her. He was standing across the hall now, staring at her. "He likes to talk, so keep him talking."

Gwen knew he was right. She shrugged, placing her hands behind her back, conjuring more of those glass like swords. "I prefer the term, Master of the Mystic Arts, but yeah. Wizard works."

"So, like... Were you born a wizard or did you get like a Hogwarts letter or..." The kids questions were cut off by Gwen shooting her weapons at him. "Holy s***!" He cried. He somehow dodged the invisible weapons. "What the h***..." He trailed off.

Gwen smirked. "Sorry kid." She said. Sam was right behind him and he took him out.

"Clever." Loki told her. Gwen smiled at him and nodded. Even though he wasn't really there, she still felt as though it was him helping her and not her helping herself. "Look out." Loki said and Gwen attempted to dodge the kid's ropes. She missed just barely and it caught her left arm on the nearby post. Cursing, Gwen pulled out her sword and cut it off.

"What's that sword made out of?" The kid questioned. "Looks like adamantium*, I'd say." The kid was perched on the post above her. Gwen looked up at him.

"I don't know what its made out of. Ask Stark. Also, what the h*** is this stuff?" She gestured to the stuff still on the wall. "Is it coming out of you?"

"Nah, its these web shooters." The kid demonstrated. Webs, like a spider. Gwen thought. Then she shook her head. Now she was getting distracted. She shot her own mystic ropes at the kid and yanked him down.

"You know," Gwen began, as they continued to fight. "I kinda like you kid. What's your name?"

"I'm not supposed to tell you." The kid said, throwing a punch. Gwen blocked it with a shield and while he was distracted by her magic, Gwen ran away. The kid followed her, just like she wanted. She could hear his web shooters go off and Gwen turned and conjured a portal to outside. The kid screamed and disappeared through it. The portal closed and Gwen ran off to find Sam and Bucky stuck to the floor.

"I hate you." Sam said to Bucky.

"Y'know..." Gwen began. "I'm sure Cap has room for both of you in his life. He loves you equally." Gwen teasingly assured the two.

"Shut up." They both snapped at the same time which only widened Gwen's grin. "Just get us out of this stuff." Sam told her exasperatedly. Gwen complied and cut away the webbing. They both stood up, groaning.

"You're both too old for this." Gwen said. They merely glared at her as the three ran off to join the fight outside.

Cap and the others were running to the quinjet. When he saw them, Steve shouted, "Come on!" They sprinted towards the jet. They were so close when they were stopped by some sort of laser blocking their way. Vision.

"Captain Rogers." Vision called out, his tone overly arrogant. "I know that you believe what you are doing is right. But for the collective good, you need to stop this now." Tony and the others gathered underneath Vision.

"What do we do, Cap?" Sam asked. All six of them looked to their fearless leader for instruction. "We fight." Steve said confidently and he began to walk forward. The rest followed. Gwen was ready. She wasn't letting them stop her or Steve or any of the others. _"I believe in you. You can do it. Don't let anyone stop you."_ Loki's voice rang through her head. Then her father's. _" Don't do anything stupid. But I'm behind you no matter what Jenny. Be safe."_

Gwen was sprinting now as she charged towards Spiderman, ready to fight. She blocked his webs with a spell. He pulled forward and kicked her hard into Wanda, who threw objects at him using her own magic. "You know, you're good kid. Where'd Stark pick you up?" Gwen asked in an attempt to distract him again.

Spiderman seemed to have picked up on her act. "Mr. Stark said that you'd get me to talk. That's how you win. Deciet." Gwen chuckled. Well, Stark wasn't wrong. She wasn't strong enough to beat any of them in hand to hand combat, so she used tricks and magic to fight. And of course, her sword. It was in a way fitting that she fell in love with the trickster god.

"Well, he's not wrong." Gwen said. "Stark tell you anything else about me?" She was a little curious but she was also still trying to distract him.

Spiderman hesitated a minute before saying something. "That you fell in love with Loki, the guy who tried to enslave earth a few years ago. Also, that you were a criminal and you've killed people. Also that you have no idea what's at stake." Spiderman swung around her dodging her shards of magic glass.

Gwen feigned pain. "I'm hurt. I really am. I can't believe Stark would say such things about me." Gwen was able to sever the kid's webs and kicked him hard enough that he hit a box a few feet away. She smirked and ran off. "Even if he was right." She muttered to herself.

Gwen could hear Steve over the coms. "I'll take Vision, you get to the jet." He was talking to Bucky.

"No. Both of you get to the jet." Sam said. "The rest of us aren't getting out of here." Gwen thought about that. It would be easier if only two of them had to escape.

"S***. He's right." Gwen said.

"As much as I hate to admit it, if we're gonna win this one, some of us might have to lose it." Clint agreed.

"This isn't the real fight Steve." Falcon told Cap. Gwen was running over to Wanda, to help her throw different objects at their former friends turned enemies. It was a sad thought. Gwen never thought she'd see the day when the Avengers would be fighting each other.

"All right Sam. What's the play?" Steve asked.

"We need a diversion. Something big." Sam replied. Gwen launched a car at Rhodes, using a rope as a sort of lasso. Rhodes dodged it with ease and shot several repulsor rays at the two young girls. Gwen blocked them easily.

"I've got something kinda big." Scott said. "But I can't hold it very long. On my signal, run like h*** and if I tear myself in half, don't come back for me." Gwen released the car at Tony and turned around, pressing a finger to her ear.

"Whoa, wait. Scott, you're going to tear yourself in half?" Gwen asked. "I'm not terribly fond of that idea."

"I'm not either. But if it gets them out of here, its worth it. I also might not tear myself in half. Its like a fifty fifty percent chance." Scott said. Gwen felt a repulsor blast on her back and she fell flat on her stomach. Swearing like a sailor, Gwen shot several of her voice magical weapon at him, which he dodged.

"You sure about this Scott?" Steve asked him.

"I do it all the time. I mean once. In a lab. And then I passed out." Scott told them. Gwen could hear him pumping himself up, which made her pumped up. "I'm the boss, I'm the boss, I'm the boss." He puffed out. Then, he shouted loudly as he sprung to about twenty times his size.

"Yes!" Gwen shouted, pumping her fist. "Yes, I knew there was a reason I liked you, tiny!" Gwen shouted at him, making Wanda chuckle.

"I guess that's the signal." Steve said while Gwen still cheered in the background. Steve and Bucky ran for the quinjet while everyone was distracted by Scott's secret ability. Gwen caught sight of T'Challa chasing after them. Gwen sprinted after him and tackled him to the ground. Gwen was right when she earlier assessed him to be a ninja. He moved like lightning, kicking and punching. Gwen was barely dodging his attack.

"Where did you learn to fight like this, your highness?" Gwen puffed out her question breathlessly. T'Challa ignored her attempts at banter and continued his assault. Clint saw her struggling and came to her rescue. But T'Challa was determined. He took care of Clint and Gwen, knocking them down hard enough that they couldn't get back up quickly. T'Challa ran after Steve and Bucky, who had just disappeared behind a falling building. Gwen swore internally that if they were dead, every single last one responsible for this would pay.

Gwen sat up and watched as Scott was knocked to the ground and he shrunk back to normal size. Gwen groaned on pain as she turned to face Clint. "You good, Legolas?" She asked, her voice mumbling in tone.

"Yeah. I'm doing great Strange." Clint said back in equal sarcasm.

"Good." Gwen slowly forced herself into a standing position. "I'm gonna go see about Scott." She took slow small steps over to the man and collapsed at his side. "Hey, tiny." She groaned. "You doing good?"

"I'd be better if I had some orange slices." Scott said, breathing heavily. "What about you, wizard? You doing good?"

Gwen shrugged and gasped quietly in pain. "As good as I've ever been." She glanced up as the quinjet flew away. Steve and Bucky had made it. Gwen chuckled and gave a whoop. "They made. Son of a b**** they made it. Thanks for your help tiny." She said as she slapped his shoulders. She heard another groan if pain. Not from her or Scott or Clint. She glanced over and saw the Spiderman lying a few yards away. Gwen didn't bother standing this time but crawled over to him. She gently touched his shoulder. "You good, kid?" Spiderman fought back, telling her to back off. "Whoa kid, chill! I'm not going to do anything." Spiderman didn't listen to her but fought her off until he ran out of energy. "I'm sorry kid. I wasn't lying. I kinda like you. I wished we didn't have to meet like this."

"Yeah, me too." Spiderman muttered. He grabbed his side in pain. Gwen mentally smacked herself for forgetting her healing magic. She gently pressed a hand to his side and healed him. Spiderman sighed in relief. "Thank you." He breathed.

"No problem." Gwen said with a smile. She was fond of the kid. He reminded her of her brother Gabe in all the best ways. Corny but funny, tough, and talkative. Gwen groaned in pain again and laid down beside him. Tony landed beside her.

His helmet opened to reveal his face. "So, Copperfield. You enjoy that?" Tony was angry. That was for sure. But he had also won in his mind so he had a small smirk on his face.

Gwen took a few deep breaths and nodded. Then, just to piss him off, she added, "If its all the same to you, I think I'll have that drink now."


	18. Chapter 18

**a/n: Hello again my fabulous readers! Sorry for the long wait. WARNING! PLEASE READ! SPOILERS FOR THOR RAGNAROK IN THIS CHAPTER! Please enjoy! (I don't own Marvel)**

 **C.C. Capitols- Thank you for continuing to review! You're awesome! You will have some of your answers in this chapter! Please enjoy!**

Gwen sat with a cuff around her wrist again. No matter how hard she tried to pull it off, it wouldn't budge. She hit it on the table a few times to see if that would do anything. Nope. Cursing quietly, she continued to bang the cuff on the table. The room echoed with the loud bangs. After a few times, she hit her wrist on the table instead of her cuff. She muttered a mix of curse words in every language she knew.

Someone opened the door to the room. Wherever that was. It was Secretary Ross. "Hello again Miss Strange." He gestured to the chair. "Mind if I sit?"

"Oh please." Gwen said, feigning a polite tone. Ross sat down and folded his arms on the table, leaning forward. "To what do I owe this great pleasure?" Gwen asked in the same tone. Ross sighed at her and rubbed his eyes.

"Stark was right about you." He mumbled. "Miss Str-"

Gwen cut him off. "Aw, what did Tony say about me? He always says the nicest things." Gwen gushed, but with more sarcasm. She wasn't having this today. She needed to get out of there. Soon. She had to go help Thor. She had to tell her dad where she was. Speaking of, "Does my father know I'm here?" She asked quietly.

"He knows you're in a high security vault somewhere. He can't know you're exact location, for obvious reasons." Ross told her. "Miss Strange, this whole thing would go a lot quicker and make my job a s*** ton easier if you dropped the sarcasm, and answered my questions honestly." Ross eyed her carefully. "Do you agree that would be a lot simpler?"

Gwen smiled and shrugged. "Probably. But I don't live to make things easier." Gwen told him with an innocent smile. Ross grumbled lowly at her, which only widened her smile. "But I will answer your questions." She told him. Whether or not she would answer them honestly would depend upon the question.

"Thank you." Ross said with a nod. He looked her in the eyes. "Miss Strange do you know why you are here?"

Gwen nodded. "You and your boys see me as a criminal because I wanted to maintain my right to choose."

"We don't want to take away your right to choose Miss Strange. The Avengers need to be controlled. Its as simple as that." Ross explained. Gwen said nothing so he moved on to the next question. "You have a past criminal record, do you not?" Gwen nodded. "Why did you decide to help someone you knew was a criminal?"

Gwen hesitated. "I don't know. All I knew was that he said my father was the real criminal and that he would give me unlimited power if I joined. But I found out it was all a lie." She shook her head. "I was stupid. I screwed up. And I swore that I would never do something like that again."

"Yet you did. Twice." Ross said.

Gwen pretended to count on her fingers. "What was the second time?"

"Deciding to help Captain America and Barnes."

"No, I mean the other time."

"Helping the war criminal Loki." Ross told her. "Stark told me all about it. And somehow, the people found it in them to pardon you." Gwen didn't speak. She couldn't think of what to say. If she said something along the lines of him changing, they wouldn't believe her. "Nothing? No comment?" Ross asked. Gwen said nothing. "Alright. One last question. Do you know where Rogers is?"

"No." Gwen said. She was desperately hoping that they couldn't tell by the tone of her voice that she was lying.

"Miss Strange, if you're lying, you could be in severe trouble. Do you know where they are?" Ross glared at her.

"I have no idea where they are." Gwen said. "Can I go to jail now?"

Ross sighed. "Very well." Some military men came into the room and stood her up. "You can escort her to her cell." They grabbed her arms and began to pull her along.

Gwen yanked her arms away. "I can walk by myself, thanks." She snapped. They escorted her to her cell. There were several other cells that held Clint, Sam, Wanda, and Scott. "Hey guys. We're roommates! How awesome is that?" Gwen said. No one laughed at her sarcasm, and Gwen didn't expect them to. None of them deserved to be in there. Not one.

A*A*A

Gwen was lying her legs across her bed and doing sit ups. It wasn't fun or easy but it was something to do, since they wouldn't give her a bouncey ball when she asked for one. After she hit the thirty mark, she stopped to rest. Gosh, jail was boring. None of them spoke to each other. Gwen had already been seeing Loki again, but didn't talk to him. She knew she was being watched. If she started talking to herself again... Things would get awkward.

The door to the room full of cells opened. It was Tony. Gwen sat on her bed normally and watched him with a little anger. Clint began a slow clap. "The futurist gentlemen! The futurist is here! He sees all. He knows what's best for you, whether you like it or not." Tony approached his cell. They argued for a bit before he moved on. "Better watch your back with this guy. There's a chance he's gonna break it." Clint warned.

"Hank Pym always said you never can trust a Stark." Scott told Tony.

"Who are you?" Tony asked. He stopped by Gwen's cell. "Are you OK?" He asked her.

"Well, you know, the beds a little hard and the food isn't that great, but other than that, its like staying in a five star hotel." Gwen told him. Then her tone softened. "Is Rhodes alright?" She had seen Rhodes fall out of the sky several hundred feet up.

"They're flying him to Colombia Medical tomorrow. I think he'll live." Tony said.

"I'm sorry." Gwen said. "I never wanted any of this to happen. I wish it didn't. But I have to do what I believe is right. Not what the law wants me to do."

"Thank you. For helping the kid, I mean. I shouldn't have brought him in on this." Tony told her.

"Maybe not. But he's a good kid. I think he's got big things in his future." Gwen said. "Could you do me a favor? Could you tell my father that I'm sorry."

"If I see him again, I'll tell him." Tony nodded. Gwen smiled gratefully at him and Tony left. Gwen had never been terribly fond of Tony, but she was glad that he was willing to try to fix everything. Sam told Tony where Steve was so he could help him.

A*A*A

Gwen was doing more sit ups in her cell. It had been about a month since Tony had visited. The five prisoners had had no other visitors since then. Clint was doing sit ups as well. It was a competition between the two of them. Most of the time, the heroes, ahem, war criminals, didn't speak to each other. Until Gwen's sit ups on her bed bugged Clint enough into asking her what she was doing. Gwen had told him and he said it was stupid. So Gwen challenged him to a competition. The winner received bragging rights. Gwen was nearing a hundred today, and her back ached like never before.

Clint groaned and fell on his back. "How many?" She asked, doing one more before falling on her bed.

"Eighty five." Clint called from his cell. Gwen pumped her fist dramatically. Clint rolled his eyes. "How many did you do?"

"One hundred." Gwen said triumphantly. "You're getting old, Barton." Then she turned to the security cameras. "You hear that guys? I beat Hawkeye in a sit up contest!" She bragged. Clint rolled his eyes again. Sam and Scott chuckled quietly. Wanda actually cracked a smile, which she hadn't done since they had been put in their cells. She too had a cuff on her, around her neck. It didn't look comfortable, and it made Gwen angry. They weren't animals, so why were they treated as such. Gwen was lucky that her cuff was on her wrist.

"They can't hear you kid." A familiar and comforting voice called from the shadows. Gwen squinted in shock, thinking she was hearing things. Then he stepped out of the shadows. Steve Rogers. Gwen gasped. Sam chuckled. The others looked on in surprise. "You miss me kid?" Steve teased.

Gwen nodded. "More than you know. How'd you get in here? Did they find you?" She asked worriedly. If they found Steve, that wasn't good. Steve was their hope that kept them going in these cells. Gwen also noticed that Bucky wasn't with him. Was he dead? Did they find him?

"No, I broke in. And now I'm breaking you out." Steve told them. "How's that sound?"

"Sounds good." Sam said. "You take out the guards?" Steve nodded. He pressed a finger to his ear. "Do it." The cell doors all slowly opened. Sam looked at him in confusion. "Barnes?"

Steve shook his head. "No. T'Challa. He helped Bucky and I after Tony... Well, we'll talk about that later. Let's go. T'Challa flew us here in his personal plane. We should get going before they realize you guys have escaped." They all left their cells, stretching their legs for the first time in months. Steve grabbed Gwen's wrist and crushed the cuff on there, similar to what Bucky did, but without breaking her wrist. He ripped Wanda's cuff off as well. He waved his arm at them. "Come on." They all jogged behind Steve. He led them down several halls to the landing pad where the jet was waiting for them, with T'Challa behind the wheel. They piled on, one by one. There was some loud footsteps behind them followed by cries of, "Open fire!" and "Do not let them escape!" Bullets flew at them from the guns of three guards. Gwen waved her hand and their guns were pulled from their hands. They landed on the floor a few feet away from them. By the time they realized what had happened, Steve had closed the door and T'Challa had taken off.

A*A*A

"We're going to T'Challa's palace. He's agreed to hide us there until its safe for us to leave again. Given that he was on Tony's side, hopefully no one will suspect anything." Steve explained. They were still on the plane, flying to Wakanda. According to Steve, they still had a few hours to go.

Gwen examined a nail. "Yeah, that's great Steve, but I still have no idea what the h*** is going on." She commented. "What happened with Tony and how come T'Challa isn't trying to kill Bucky anymore?"

Steve sighed and leaned forward. "Its a long story."

"Well, I haven't scheduled any appointments so I'm free." Gwen said.

Steve nodded. "Alright. I suppose you deserve to know. All of you." He sighed again before launching into the story. "Well, you know that we went to Siberia to get rid of the other Winter Soldiers. We were following the guy that questioned Bucky. Tony showed up to help, but that guy showed us a video. It was Bucky killing Tony's parents. He didn't know what he was doing." Steve said at the looks on their faces. "HYDRA had control of his mind. Anyway, as you can imagine, Tony was angry. And he had every right to be. But he was trying to kill Bucky. I had to stop him. And I took it too far." Steve was shaking his head. "I did some things that I shouldn't have done. But I stopped him from killing Bucky and we escaped. T'Challa had followed us to Siberia and found out that Bucky wasn't the one who killed his father. He sent the man who did to jail and has offered a place for us to stay."

After several minutes of silence, Gwen asked, "Where's Bucky now?"

"Back in the Cyrochamber." Steve said sadly. The Cyrochamber is what kept them frozen for all those years between WWII and now. "He said he would stay in there until we found out how to undo what HYDRA put in his mind. Said he didn't want to have another incident." Gwen reached over and touched his hand gently. Steve smiled sadly and brightened. "Oh, by the way, I found these things when I was trying to find you." He pulled out a duffle bag and unzipped it. Inside, were all the clothes they had on underneath their suits. Steve tossed them their clothes. "There's a room right over there for changing."

Gwen grabbed her jeans and black shirt. The shirt wasn't hers. Not originally. It was one of Loki's that Gwen had stolen before they left the Arctic. It was somewhat loose, but Gwen fixed that with a hair tie. Her necklace with her ring on it was folded inside her clothes, along with her sling ring. They hadn't put in any other weapons, so Gwen guessed that they assumed it was jewelry. She was glad they did. She magically changed into her clothes and tied the hair tie to the end of her shirt. She had stolen several of Loki's old shirts, she knew he would want her to have them. And whatever material they used to make clothes on Asgard was extremely comfortable. Gwen put on her necklace. She fingered her sling ring. She could go right now. Go and visit her dad before coming back. She knew that her father wouldn't give her away. He would protect her and hide her. But they might have the place under watch, since they know she escaped. She battled back and forth in her mind. She was desperate to see her father, but if she was right and the place was under watch, then she would be putting her dad in danger.

"You can't go." Steve said, reading her thoughts. "That's exactly what they want you to do. Run home to your dad so they can throw you both back in prison.

Gwen nodded. "I know." She said bitterly. "But I just can't stand not seeing him."

"You're wizards. Can't you just do magic email or something like that?" Steve asked. _Master of the Mystic Arts_ Gwen corrected mentally. Then she laughed, but sobered quickly. That wasn't a bad idea. They did have a way of silent communication. They could send messages through thoughts. It took a lot of concentration and energy so they didn't do it very often. Only in emergencies. But Gwen was desperate to talk to him, so she was willing to try.

She grinned brightly at Steve. "Steve, you're a genius!" Gwen grabbed his head in her hands and placed a kiss on his cheek. Immediately, her face flamed and she felt her stomach churn in guilt. She shook her head quickly, glad there was no one else around to have witnessed that. "I didn't mean that. I just got caught up... And, well, I..." Gwen stammered.

Steve waved it away, his own cheeks slightly pink. "Its OK. I get it. You were just excited. We'll just forget it happened." Steve said, avoiding her gaze. Gwen nodded and walked away to a different part of the ship.

"So, having fun?" Loki's cold voice asked her.

Gwen shook her head. "Don't give me that look. I didn't mean it in that way. He's just a friend." Loki glared at her and Gwen rolled her eyes. "You're dead. You're not even here. I'm allowed to have friends and if I wanted to, which I don't, I'm allowed to move on. So don't give me that crap. We're just friends and this is stupid. I'm going to talk to my dad." Gwen said, her voice going a hundred miles an hour.

She took a deep breath and closed her eyes. She pushed all other thoughts from her mind and thought only of her father. She pictured him clearly in her mind. She thought of how he thought and what he was thinking about at the moment. The only thought she was almost certain of was of her. She locked on to his thoughts and spoke. "I'm here." She murmured.

"Gwen." The reply came moments later. "Are you alright? They won't tell me where you are and now they say you've escaped. What's happening? Also, don't come here. Its a trap. If you want to see me, head to the New York sanctum. They only know about Kamar Taj's existence."

"I'm alright. I'm on a plane headed to Wakanda with Steve, Scott, Sam, Clint, and Wanda. Prince T'Challa has offered us a place to stay hidden until this blows over. I'll meet you at the New York sanctum in... Oh, about an hour. We'll talk then. I'm going to break the connection now."

"Wait, how are you going to get there? You have your sling ring?"

"Yes. Apparently they thought it was jewelry." Gwen said with a snort. She could hear Stephen chuckle as they broke the connection. Gwen gasped quietly and stumbled slightly. It was very advanced magic and it took quite a bit out of a person to do it. She returned to the main part of the ship, where she avoided Steve's eyes and T'Challa told them that they would be there in an hour.

A*A*A

When the plane landed, T'Challa lead them to the rooms they would be staying in. Gwen threw what little things she had onto her bed (her prison jumpsuit) and grabbed her sling ring. She went next door and knocked on her neighbor's door. Her neighbor was Steve. "I'll be back in about an hour. I found a safe place to meet my father." Gwen said, still avoiding his gaze.

Steve nodded. "OK. See you later." Gwen nodded and started to walk away. "Hey Gwen?" Steve called out and Gwen turned around. "Its OK. Can we just forget it? I don't want things to be awkward between us. It meant nothing. I'm with Sharon and you're... You still love Loki. Let's just forget it."

Gwen looked up and gave him a tiny smile. "Aye aye Captain. I'll be back in a few." Steve chuckled and gave her a wave. Gwen walked back to her room and drew a portal into the New York sanctum. She stepped through it. Light shown through the round window behind the staircase. There were several cases of mystic artifacts around the room. Gwen looked at the different cases when she came across a familiar artifact. Her infinity stone. Gwen touched the glass that seperated them, longing to wear it again. But it was too dangerous. When she used it to destroy Dormamu, she had almost died, but had only ended up in a coma. And it was dangerous for those around her as well. If she overreacted, than someone could end up dead. Gwen shook her head and walked away from the box. Gwen headed down the hall to the entrance to Kamar Taj. She could hear footsteps. But it was two pairs. Gwen suddenly felt suspicious and conjured a weapon. Then, out of the door, came her father and Wong.

Gwen heaved a deep sigh of relief and dissolved the weapon. "Dad." She breathed and she moved into his open arms.

"You're alright?" Stephen asked her.

Gwen nodded and grinned at Wong, who was standing there, stone faced. "Hey man. Don't I get a hug too?" Gwen hugged him and Wong gave a smile. "Missed you, Beyonce." Gwen teased.

"I missed you too Jenny." Wong said. He turned to Stephen. "I'll go back now." They said their goodbyes and Wong stepped back through the door.

"So, how is the war criminal?" Stephen asked, somewhat sternly. Gwen smirked at him.

"Oh, same old same old. You know how it is. No rest for the wicked." Gwen said airily, waving her hand in the air.

"You could've asked me for help, you know." Stephen said. Gwen shook her head instantly.

"I didn't want to drag you into it. Besides, only one of us can be a criminal. I've already claimed that roll." Gwen joked. "Are you alright? How are things?"

"I'm fine. Things are running smoothly." Stephen said. He turned to look out the window. "I saw Thor a few weeks ago." Gwen's head shot up.

"Really?" She asked with raised eyebrows. "He's back then? What did he want?"

"He wanted to recruit you, to help him look for infinity stones." Stephen told his daughter. "When I told him you were in jail, he wasn't too happy. Said he's found some things he wants you to take a look at. I think he likes you more than me."

"Well, that's no surprise." Gwen teased. "Go on."

"Anyway, I told him why you were in jail and he said that if you weren't freed by the time he returned, he would free you."

"When was this?" Gwen asked.

"Two weeks ago. He said he'd return in about two weeks time so he's bound to return here anytime tomorrow." Stephen told her. "And I think you should go with him." Gwen blinked in surprise. She thought that he would want her to lay low for a while, maybe rest. "If you want to go anyway."

"I want to go." Gwen said slowly. "But I don't understand why you want me to go."

Stephen gave a small shrug and turned back to face Gwen. "I'm not sure. But its almost like I can feel it. Your destiny and Asgard's destiny are somehow connected. I don't know why, but they are."

Gwen considered that. What did that mean, their destinies were connected? Was she supposed to live on Asgard? Maybe she would help save Asgard, somehow. "Well, I suppose I'd better see what destiny has planned for me."

A*A*A (The next day)

Gwen was waiting in her old room at Kamar Taj. Thor was supposed to be returning here today. And when he did, she would be leaving with him to go to Asgard and other places in the nine realms. Gwen had all her things that she would need with her. Which was only really two things. Her sling ring and her new sword. Her father had found one in the London sanctum, and it had accepted her. Now she had two relics, if you counted her infinity stone. Gwen pulled it out of its sheath and the long silver blade reflected the light in her room. Putting it back in, she slung it over her shoulder and pulled her leather jacket over it, which his the sword almost completely. She wore another of Loki's black shirts, dark blue jeans, black converse. Her necklace with her ring hung beneath her shirt. Her blonde hair lay straight on her shoulders. It was starting to get long again, but not long enough to need another hair cut. Gwen started to sweat underneath her jacket. No matter. When they arrived at Asgard, she would drop it off there. Gwen heard her father shout up to her and she left her room, not realizing she had left her sling ring on her bed.

Thor was waiting downstairs. He was in his normal armor. Over his shoulder, he had a large metal thing that looked like a hat. His feet were covered in some sort of green slime. He was leaning against the wall examining a nail when Gwen walked in. "Gwen. Good to see you again. How are you?"

"Well, that's a good question. I'm doing alright, I'd say. I've had worse. You?"

"About the same as you." Thor said with a chuckle.

"Have you found any infinity stones yet?" Gwen questioned.

Thor frowned. "No, I have not seen any. They're hidden well. Either that or Thanos has already found them all."

Gwen shook her head. "I refuse to believe that. We'll find them. Especially now that you have me to help you." Gwen teased with a light punch on his arm. In another life, he would be her brother in law. And he felt like a brother to her. She liked Thor a lot. He was like family to her, especially after Loki died. "Well, let's do this. I'm ready to go see Asgard and meet Odin and all the others I've been told about."

"Alright. We'll go now." Thor said, standing up straight. "Umm... Whatever your name is! Not Heimdall, take us back!" Gwen gave him an odd look and looked up like Thor. The light around them grew. Gwen turned to her father and he gave her a little wave with a smile.

"Bye dad. Love you." Gwen shouted to him. He shouted back but Gwen couldn't hear him because the light had surrounded them and they were being transported. Gwen watched in fascination at the rainbow that surrounded them. She looked up and Thor was in front of her, looking straight ahead. Then, they landed. Gwen checked her surroundings. They were in a gold building. In the center was a stand with a sword. A man was mopping the floor which was covered in the same green slime that had been on Thor's boots.

"Well, you're back." The man who was mopping said. He sounded angry and he tossed the mop to the side. He started to walk towards the exit which lead to the outside. Gwen could see the bifrost bridge and the palace in the far distance. "I'll go announce your arrival." The man called over his shoulder.

"No need for that." Thor said. He pulled out his hammer. "Gwen." He called, offering her his hand. Gwen took it hesitantly. Thor turned and gave her a smile. "You'll want to hold on tight." Gwen gripped his hand tighter. Thor began to spin his hammer fast and they took off, flying over Asgard. Gwen watched the different buildings pass underneath her. Asgard was a lot bigger than she first expected. It was actually very similar to earth, just the buildings were a bit more advanced. Thor landed and helped Gwen land on her feet. "What the h***?" He questioned. Gwen tore her eyes away from the mountains in the distance to see what Thor was looking at. There was a large bronze statue of Loki.

Gwen frowned. "I thought you guys didn't like Loki?" She accused Thor.

Thor glared at her. "We do." Gwen gave him a look and Thor conceded. "Alright, so we weren't overly fond of him. Believe me, I'm just as confused about this statue as you are." Thor lead her underneath the white arch. There was a crowd of people there and a small veranda covered in flowers. In the very front was a stage. Gwen peered at the stage and made out several people. They were dressed like Thor and Loki.

"No, no, no!" The fake Thor called out. "Sif, go get a medic." The fake Sif ran off the stage. "No fool you didn't listen."

Gwen leaned over to the real Thor as the fake Loki apologized. "What is this?"

Thor furrowed his brow in confusion. "I'm not sure. It seems to be a reenactment of the time Loki pretended to die."

"He pretended to die?" Gwen perked up.

"Yeah. Twice." Thor said. He seemed to catch Gwen's tone. "I made sure he was dead this time. I'm certain he's dead."

Gwen's shoulders dropped. "Oh." She turned her attention back to the stage.

"I'll tell father what you did here today." The fake Thor said.

"I didn't do it for him." Gwen heard Odin, who was lounging in the outdoor patio, whisper. He was eating grapes and seemed to be enjoying himself immensely. Gwen felt herself grin as she imagined Loki seeing this. Knowing how much he loved attention, she knew he would love this.

"I didn't do it for him." The fake Loki said. Then he closed his eyes and died. The fake Thor cried out in sadness and anger. Gwen couldn't help but snort. This was so ridiculous. But she also noticed that the people around her were taking this very seriously, so she turned it into a cough. Thor, beside her, was rolling his eyes as a fake Odin talked about how much they owed Loki and the play ended. The real Odin stood up and applauded, shouting, "Bravo! Bravo!"

Thor grabbed Gwen's hand again and pulled her through the crowd of people. The crowd began to disperse. They stopped to say hello to a few people. Thor then turned and waved to his father. "Hello father."

Odin, who was drinking a goblet of wine, choked. "Oh s***." He muttered and Gwen laughed lightly. Odin seemed to notice her and he froze. Gwen turned away, embarrassed that she had laughed in the first place. "Hello son." Odin said. He approached the two. "And uh, who is your lovely guest?"

Gwen gave him a small smile and a wave. She shed her jacket, because it was getting too hot. Odin snapped his fingers and someone came to take her jacket from her. Another offered her a glass of wine, which Gwen turned down. "Father, this is Gwen. She was Loki's ah, friend that I told you about." Thor introduced her. Odin nodded and approached her.

"Lovely to meet you, my dear." Odin took her hand and kissed it. Gwen tried to keep a straight face. She gave Odin another smile and a small bow, because she wasn't sure how to behave in front of the king of Asgard.

"Its nice to meet you as well, King Odin." Odin smiled at her. Gwen turned back to Thor. "Is this normal for your father. I thought you said he wasn't overly fond of Midgardians." Gwen murmured to him under her breath.

Thor shook his head. "No. Something is up with him. I'll find out." He murmured to her before speaking up. "So, I've never seen that play before. What is it called?"

"The Tragedy of Loki of Asgard." Odin said. "The people wanted to commemorate Loki for what he did."

Thor nodded. "As well they should. He died bravely. And the statue, did the people ask for that as well?"

Odin shook his head. "That was my idea."

"Well its nice. He looks a lot better as a statue. Less oily and greasy looking." Thor said. Gwen rolled her eyes at Thor while Odin gave a small scoff.

"So, you'll be returning back to Midgard?" Odin sounded hopeful, almost. He turned to Gwen. "You're welcome to stay as long as you like."

"Thank you, sir. But I'm just here to help Thor. If he leaves, then I'll leave with him." Gwen said. Odin gave her a slow nod.

"No, I think we'll be staying for a while." Thor said, tossing his hammer into the air. "You see, father. I keep having this dream. In my dream, Asgard is destroyed, along with the nine realms."

Odin gave a small chuckle and shrugged. "Its just a dream."

"But see, I don't think it is." Thor said and he tossed his hammer toward Odin before it flew back into his hand. "Because I go out to search for infinity stones and what do I find? All the nine realms in chaos and you, Odin, protector of those nine realms, are lying in your bathrobe eating grapes."

Odin looked confused. "Well, I hardly think..." He trailed off.

"OK." Thor said. He tossed his hammer as far as he could and pulled Odin toward him. "You know nothing will stop Mjolnir from returning to my hand. Not even your face." Gwen watched in confusion as Thor pulled his father in front of his hand. The hammer was flying back now.

"Come now, this is ridiculous." Odin protested.

"Thor, OK. This is crazy. You can't kill your father." Gwen said, approaching Thor.

"See, the girl speaks sense." Odin said.

"Then change." Thor said and he leaned closer to Odin. "Brother."

Gwen, who was still protesting, froze. "Hang on. Did you say brother?" Thor didn't answer her.

The hammer was nearing quickly. Odin started to look scared. "Alright, I yield." He moved away, but he wasn't Odin anymore. Gwen's breathing was uneven and shaking as she looked at the man before her. She couldn't bring herself to think this was real. Odin was no longer Odin. Instead, he had been replaced by a dead man. Loki. Loki smirked at them and spread out his arms. He was looking at Gwen. "Hello, darling. Did you miss me?"


	19. Chapter 19

**a/n: Hello again readers! Please enjoy! WARNING! MORE SPOILERS FOR THOR RAGNAROK! (I don't own Marvel)**

 **Rosalix Archangel- Thank you for reviewing! Glad you like it! Thanks for reading as well and I hope you enjoy this chapter.**

 **TheCrazyOne87- Thank you for continuing to review! Thank you for the correction with Wanda. As always, I hope you like it and I will check out your fic.**

 **artemis7448- Thanks for reading! And you are right. He does deserve that.**

 **ShatterTheHeavens- Thank you for your review! I totally agree with you about Tony, but I still love all the Avengers. I too loved that scene with Loki pretending to be Odin. I laughed so hard!**

Gwen felt her hands shaking as she stared at the figure in front of her. Her first thought was of disbelief. _He's alive! How can this be?_ Then of happiness. _He's alive! Oh my gosh, he's really alive!_ Then of anger. _He's alive?! That son of a b****! I'll kill him!_ Then of humor. _He's alive. Of course he is. I should've known, what with the play, and the statue, and the way Odin was treating_ _me_. And so around and around her thoughts went. Until she finally settled on anger. Her breathing still sporadic, she turned to Thor. "I'm going to kill him." She whispered through gritted teeth.

"Be my guest." Thor whispered back. Gwen turned back around, keeping her face expressionless. She slowly walked over to Loki. He was still smirking as he opened his arms wider. Gwen got angry again. _Oh, he thinks he's so great, doesn't he? He thinks that I'm excited to see him. Well, I'll show him._ Gwen walked right up to Loki and punched him as hard as she could right on the nose. Those around gasped. Thor chuckled merrily. Loki gave a small groan of pain and pinched the bridge of his nose.

"Well, I must say." Loki said, still pinching his nose. "That is not how I expected our little reunion to go." Gwen silently agreed but didn't say anything. Instead, she punched his arm. "Can you not do that?" Loki asked, rubbing his arm slightly.

"You... You... You were dead. You were dead. You're supposed to be dead." Gwen stammered, her voice shaking with anger. "You were dead, and I was alone, and all this time, you've been here. Enjoying your stupid throne, are you?" Gwen spat out in anger. "Didn't bother to think about the girl you left behind, did you?"

"That's not true, Gwen. I..." Loki began, but Gwen cut him off.

She laughed derisively. "Oh, but isn't it? The throne of Asgard, that's all you ever wanted. And now, you had it all to yourself." She furiously stepped forward, planning on punching him again, but apparently, her body had other plans. Without her consent, her hands reached up and grabbed Loki's face and kissed him hard. She could feel herself start to relax, and Loki's hand reached up to her hair. She finally realized what she was doing and broke away. "No! Stop! I'm still pissed off at you." She backed away, to clear her head.

"That's not what it seemed like to me, darling." Loki said with a smirk. That's when the guy from the bifrost bridge showed up.

He was panting heavily. "Thor! Prince of Asgard! And his guest!" He announced. Loki looked down and sighed. Then he snapped his fingers and shook his head.

"No. Stop." He turned to face him. "You had one job. Just one." Loki said. "Not to let him in." He pointed to Thor then turned to his brother. "You just couldn't stay away, could you? Everything was fine."

"No, it was not fine." Thor said angrily. He shoved his way over to Loki. "Where is father? Did you kill him?" He pushed Loki onto the couch, pressing Mjolnir onto his chest. Loki gave a small cry of pain.

"No. OK. I remember exactly where I left him." Loki told them.

"Good." Said Thor, tossing Mjolnir in the air again. "Take us to him."

Loki sighed. "Fine." He stood up. "He's on Midgard. I left him in New York." He closed his eyes and magicked himself and Thor some new clothes, making Mjolnir into an umbrella. Thor was now dressed in a brown jacket with blue jeans. His long hair was pulled back into a ponytail. Loki was wearing an all black suit. Loki gestured to the bifrost bridge. "Shall we?" He said overly dramatic.

"Yes." Thor said and he lead the way. Gwen followed after him. Loki walked beside her.

"Don't tell me you're going to be mad about this forever?" Loki said to her.

Scowling slightly, Gwen nodded. "I'll be pissed off as long as I want. You dumped me on earth and pretended to be dead. You'll forgive me if I'm not dropping it like that." She snapped her fingers.

Loki grinned. "Come on darling. I know you missed me." Gwen could feel the corners of her mouth tilting up and she forced them back down immediately.

"Have I mentioned that I hate you?" Gwen said as casually as possible. Loki merely chuckled. He leaned closer to her.

"Now I know that's not true." He murmured in her ear. Gwen bit her lip and shoved him. Loki staggered a few steps, before bumping her back. Then it turned into a war, each one intent on shoving the other harder.

Thor turned around. "Do I need to split you two up?" He sighed.

Gwen straightened and saluted him. "No sir." She said. "But if truth be told, he started it." She pointed at Loki accusingly.

Loki scoffed. "Oh, that's rich."

"Well its true." Gwen argued back. Loki opened his mouth to retaliate but Thor intervened quickly.

"No, we don't have time for this. You can have your lover's quarrel later, after we've found Odin." He shot an accusing glance at Loki before turning back around and walking off.

"He said lovers. See? Even he can tell you're lying." Loki said to her. Gwen groaned in frustration and closed her eyes, pressing her lips together. She was trying not to come out with a snarky comeback. Loki took it another way. "What're you thinking about?" He asked, suggestively.

"I'm imagining different ways to kill you, at the moment." Gwen muttered. Loki gave another breathy chuckle. He turned around and started to walk backwards.

"Deny it all you want, darling. You missed me and you're glad I'm back." He shot her an over exaggerated wink and walked a bit faster to walk next to Thor. Gwen shook her head at him. She allowed herself a small smile. She was pissed at him and she wasn't quite ready to forgive him and she did hate him right now, but he was right about one thing. She had missed him. Like crazy. So much it drove her crazy. She began to hum _You Make Me Smile_ by Uncle Kracker as she watched Loki's retreating figure. Then she shook her head again. What was she going to do with him?

A*A*A

"I swear I left him right here." Loki said. They were standing in front of a demolished building that was an old folks home. Gwen shook her head yet again at Loki. He was such an idiot.

"Right here on the sidewalk, or right here in the demolished building?" Thor asked. He was angry as he gestured to the building with his umbrella/hammer.

"I don't know." Loki said. He opened his mouth to say more but they were interrupted by a few girls.

"Hi." One of them giggled at Thor. "Could we take a picture with you?"

"Sure." Thor said. The two girls giggled again and lifted up their phones to take a selfie with him. Loki rolled his eyes at the three. Gwen watched his expression, an amused expression on her own face. She nudged his shoulder.

"Do you need me to take a picture with you? Would that make you feel better?" She teased with a smirk. Loki rolled his eyes again.

"Shut up." He grumbled to her and Gwen grinned wider.

The girls finished taking a picture with Thor. "Sorry to hear Jane dumped you." One girl said as they walked away.

"She didn't dump me." Thor told the other two, though neither looked like they cared. "We dumped each other. It was a mutual dumping."

"Right." Loki said sarcastically with a nod.

"Well, you can't talk much, brother." Thor said, moved to anger and eyeing Gwen.

"Thor..." Gwen said quietly. She hadn't meant to give off that impression. Well, maybe she had a little bit, but she still didn't want to dump Loki. She still loved him, no matter how pissed off she was at him. She just wasn't ready to stop being angry yet. She looked over at Loki, who was watching her carefully. She looked away and down at the ground, unsure what to do or say. Thor filled in the blanks.

"I can't believe you're alive." Thor said. "We mourned you. I mourned you. I had to tell her that you were dead." Thor pointed at Gwen. "Why did you do it?" Loki was going to reply, but at that moment, a bright circle of gold had come around his feet. "What is this? Brother, stop your magic." Thor said. Gwen inhaled deeply, realizing who it was. This was going to be interesting.

"This isn't me." Loki said. Then a hole opened up from the ground and Loki fell through it.

"Oh boy." Gwen murmured and rubbed her hands on her face. "Come on. Let's go."

"Where are we going? Do you know what that was?" Thor asked her.

"Of course I do. That was my father. And we're going to the New York sanctum." Gwen said. "177 A Bleecker Street." She started to walk down the road. Thor followed behind her.

"So, have you already forgiven Loki?" Thor asked conversationally.

Gwen sighed. "No. But that doesn't mean I don't love him. Don't tell him I said so, but I really did miss him. A lot. And now that he's back, all I want is to run into his arms, but I can't. Because then he has the upper hand and I feel weak and needy. But if I stay mad at him for a while, then he realizes that I don't need him and we're back on even ground. I don't know how to explain it." Gwen shook her head. "Its complicated. Suffice it to say, I'm mad at him, but I still love him, but he can't know that."

Thor nodded. "Right. Not confusing at all." They walked down the streets, drawing glances from others around them. Gwen tried to stay in the shadows since she was still technically a war criminal. Luckily, no one seemed to notice her. In fact, all they seemed to notice was Thor. Gwen thought that was odd, given that she was carrying a sword and happened to be a criminal. She pushed it out of her mind as they reached the entrance to the New York sanctum. Thor approached the door and knocked. The minute he knocked, they were transported inside to the room full of relics. Gwen saw her infinity stone again, but pushed it out of her mind.

"Dad!" She called out. "I'm home!" She muttered sarcastically.

"Hello again." Her father was floating in midair, thanks to his Cloak of Levitation. He landed beside them. "Thor. Gwen. Good to see you." His voice was accusing and Gwen knew why. He thought Loki was dead too. And now it looked like they had known Loki was alive all along, but they were hiding it from him.

"What do you want, wizard?" Thor asked, messing with a few relics. He knocked down a stand of some and hastily tried to fix them. Gwen grinned in amusement as the relics continued to fall down, and Thor kept trying to stack them back up.

"We prefer the term Master of the Mystic Arts, but..." Stephen began. He was interrupted by a small clatter as the relics fell again. "You can just leave that." Thor stopped messing with it. "And what I want is to talk to you two about our dear friend Loki." He gestured to Thor's umbrella. "You can put that down." Thor placed it in a stand and as he did, they were transported to a sitting room. Gwen was used to Stephen doing this, so she adjusted well. It caught Thor off guard and he stumbled into his chair. "Tea?" Stephen offered the two.

"Thanks." Gwen said, taking the mug of tea. She drained it quickly and refilled it. It had been a long day, and it was barely noon.

"I don't drink tea." Thor said, putting down his mug.

"Well, what do you drink?" Stephen asked him.

Thor shrugged. "Not tea." His mug was replaced by a larger mug full of mead. Thor nodded at it appreciatively and took a long drink.

"So, care to explain why you're brother isn't dead like you said he was?" Stephen asked. His voice was calm, but Gwen could tell that he was angry. She could see it in his eyes. He locked eyes with his daughter and she stared back calmly. She had nothing to hide. No reason to be ashamed.

"Well, he faked his death. Again. I really thought he was dead." Thor explained. Stephen turned to Gwen.

"And you had no idea he was alive either?"

Gwen shook her head. "He never bothered to tell me anything." Gwen said bitterly. "Where is he, anyway?" Her questioned was ignored as Stephen asked them a different one.

"And you've returned to earth, why?" Stephen asked.

"My father is missing, again. We've come to fetch him." Thor said, draining his mug and it refilled instantly.

"So, if you found you're father, you would return to Asgard promptly?" Stephen asked.

"Oh yes. Promptly." Thor confirmed.

"Good. He's in Norway." Stephen said. He stood up and they changed rooms again. They were in the library now. Stephen held a book. "No that won't help us." He muttered.

"Hang on. You knew where Odin was all along. And you never thought to tell us?" Gwen asked in anger. "That might've been helpful information earlier on, dad." She said with a roll of her eyes.

They switched rooms again. Stephen held another book and Thor broke a shelf. "Oh, it was a recent development. Just after you left, in fact." Stephen said airily. "Ah! Here we are." He closed the book and began to conjure.

"Could you stop doing that?" Thor asked, in reference to the changing of rooms.

"Sorry. I'll need a strand of you're hair." Stephen said to Thor.

Thor shook his head. "No one touches my hair." He said with a strained smile. Stephen ignored that and took a snip of his hair anyway. "Ow! Hey!" Thor protested. He reached up and touched the place where Stephen had cut his hair. Stephen, meanwhile, was conjuring his hair into his spell. They switched rooms again and Thor stumbled again. "We could just walk." Thor grumbled. Stephen finished his magic and turned it into a portal.

"Right. This will take you to Odin." Stephen told them. Thor nodded and made to step through. Gwen grabbed his arm to stop him as Stephen said, "Oh! Don't forget your umbrella."

"Right." Thor said. He held out his hand. The sounds of glass breaking and things falling could be heard. Thor winced as a loud crash could be heard nearby. "Sorry." He apologized as the umbrella landed in his hands. He shook off the broken glass. "Well, I'll be off." He said.

"Not yet." Gwen said. She turned to her father. "We're going to need Loki back."

"Oh right." Stephen said. He waved his hand in the air and another portal opened. Loki fell through shouting and landed on his face. "Here he is." Stephen said happily.

"I've been falling," Loki shouted, "for thirty minutes!" Gwen surpressed a smile as Loki pulled himself up. When Loki caught her eye, she looked away, now grinning broadly. "And who are you?" Loki asked Stephen.

"You remember my father, Stephen Strange?" Gwen asked politely. "You held us all in a prison for... twenty four hours, I think it was, if you recall." She said, casually examining a nail. She shot Loki a small glare.

"You think you're some kind of sorcerer?" Loki asked. He pulled out his two long daggers. He moved towards Stephen. "Don't think for one second..." He was interrupted by Gwen waving her hand and taking away his daggers. They floated neatly into her open palms. Stephen moved the portal forward and sent both Thor and Loki through it. Gwen saw through the portal, that Loki had fallen on his face again. She chuckled and turned to her father.

"So... You're back together then?" Stephen asked uncomfortably. He shifted where he stood, looking Gwen in her eyes. Gwen shot him a grin.

"Oh, that depends. Right now, I'm pissed at him so, we'll see how it goes." Stephen chuckled. Gwen spoke quieter. "I do still love him. I know that's not what you want to hear, but I do. I never really stopped. But I'm not running into his arms, so, like I said, we'll see how it goes."

"And does he still..." Stephen hesitated. "He still... loves you back?" Gwen shrugged.

"I think so." She replied. Then she lowered her tone, so only she could hear. "I hope so."

"What was that?" Stephen asked. Gwen just shook her head. "Think you can handle them?" He jerked his head towards the two through the portal, who were standing there, waiting for her, discussing something.

Gwen nodded, giving another smirk. "Oh yeah. I know I can handle them." Stephen chuckled. "You're still good with me going with them?"

"Yeah. Like I said yesterday. Your destiny and Asgard's destiny are somehow connected. I think, now that Loki's returned, it might have something to do with him."

Gwen sighed. "Great." She gave her dad a quick embrace. "Bye dad. I love you. And I'll see you soon."

Stephen returned her embrace. "I Love you too. See you later." They seperated and Gwen stepped through the portal, giving him a small wave. The portal closed and Stephen sighed. "That girl is the reason for every single one of my gray hairs." He muttered to himself and walked away.

A*A*A

While Gwen and Stephen were having their conversation, Loki was having one with Thor. "I don't know what I'm going to do, brother. How do I win her back? I've messed up, and I fear I may have lost her forever." Loki was mostly just talking to himself. He didn't expect any help from Thor. Thor would just say something like, I told you so.

"Well, just a hint brother, girls don't like it when their lovers pretend to be dead. And don't tell them." Thor said and Loki rolled his eyes. Exactly what he thought he would say. "For what its worth, she was devastated when you died. And when I told her that you had pretended to be dead before, she looked so hopeful." Thor added more quietly.

Loki felt a bit lighter at that additional comment. He watched Gwen talk with her father. There was another problem. He didn't like her father and it was obvious that he didn't like him back. The fact that he had just threatened him didn't help anything. And it sure as h*** didn't score him any points with Gwen. He had screwed up again and he knew it. But he wasn't going to lose her. Oh no. He was going to get her back if he died trying. And not pretending to die either. "What would you do?" Loki asked Thor.

"Apologize. Explain why. Beg for forgiveness. Those all sound like something she would like." Thor replied with a shrug. "Maybe try not to... I don't know. Act like she needs you. Act like you need her, for a change. Don't be so cocky."

Loki nodded. It sounded like a good idea, but not one he would be good at attempting. But if it meant he could win Gwen back, then he would do it. Gwen hugged her father and stepped through the portal, which closed behind her. "Shall we get going?" Gwen said and the other two nodded.

A*A*A

"Shall we get going?" Gwen said to the other two. They nodded in reply. Gwen put the two daggers into Loki's open hand. "Try not to threaten my father again." She warned as dangerously as she could.

To her surprise, Loki nodded. "I'm sorry." He sheathed his knives and followed Thor. Well, Gwen hadn't expected that by any means. If anything, she had expected some sarcastic or angry retort, not an apology. She pushed away her thoughts as she saw a figure in the distance. She could make out the white hair and recognized it instantly. Odin. They approached him quietly.

"Look at this." Odin said, referring to the view in front of them. They were overlooking the ocean from the cliff they stood on. It was an amazing view, the wind created waves on the water. The sea reflected the light of the sun. The same color as Gwen and her father's eyes. Gwen smiled at the view. "Its beautiful." Odin said.

"Father, its us." Thor said. Odin ignored him and continued to look out over the cliff. "Loki remove your magic." Thor demanded. Loki just shook his head.

Odin chuckled. "I came out of your spell a long time ago." Odin turned to Loki. "Frigga would've been proud." Gwen could see the sadness on all three faces. She knew Frigga was Odin's wife and Thor and Loki's mother. She also knew that Loki and Frigga had been closer than Thor and Frigga. Though Frigga loved both of her children. Odin seemed to notice Gwen finally. "And who are you?"

Gwen gave a small bow. "My name is Gwen Strange. Its nice to meet the real you, King Odin." She said, her tone slightly accusing. Odin chuckled.

"I'm no King here." Odin said. "And are you a friend of Thor's or Loki's?" He asked, looking into both her eyes with his one eye.

Gwen eyed both Thor and Loki. "Both." She ended up saying and Odin laughed again.

"Yes. I can see that." Odin chuckled.

"Father, this is the woman I love." Loki interrupted. Gwen looked at him in surprise. She hadn't seen that coming. He was just full of surprises today.

Odin nodded. "Good. I'm happy for you Loki." He glanced out at the ocean again. "Your mother would've loved this place. I can hear her calling to me."

"Father, we've come to take you home." Thor said.

Odin shook his head. "No my sons. I'm not going home." He pulled them all onto a nearby rock and they all sat. "Frigga is calling to me. She's calling me home." Thor, Loki and Gwen exchanged glances. "I'm going to join her. I love you my sons. And you, Gwen, I wish I could've gotten to know you. I'm certain I would've loved you like the daughter I wish I had." Gwen could feel a few tears in her eyes as she nodded at Odin's sentiment. "I had a daughter, once. Your sister." They all looked at Odin in surprise. "Hela. She is coming now. When I'm gone, she will come." Odin said. "Remember this place, my sons and my daughter. I leave Asgard to you." Before they could protest, Odin dissolved into gold dust and floated away over the sea. Gone.

The sky turned dark and thunder rumbled overhead. Thor was clenching his fists and looking down at the grass. Lightning sparks flew from his fingertips. He had a look of anger on his face. "Brother." Loki warned. Thor looked up at him.

"This is your doing." Thor said angrily. He glared at Loki and made an angry move towards him. Gwen stepped between the two quickly.

"Thor." She said. Her tone was somewhat of a warning and somewhat of a comfort. She reached out and touched Thor's arm. Thor seemed to relax a little. His expression changed from one of anger to me of sadness. "I'm so sorry." Gwen whispered. Thor only nodded, as he held back tears. Suddenly, behind them, a great cloud of black appeared. The threesome turned around. Thor slammed his hammer on the ground with a flash of lightning and he was back in his normal armor. Loki changed from his black suit to a new suit of green armor. Gwen pulled out her sword and held it by her side. Out of the cloud of black stepped a woman in green and black armor. She had long black hair and she gave them a tiny smirk.

"Is he dead? Good. I never liked him." She said, her voice sounded deeper than Gwen had expected.

"You must be Hela." Thor said. "I'm Thor. Son of Odin." He introduced himself.

"Really?" She sounded mildly surprised. "You don't look like him."

"Perhaps an arrangement can be reached." Loki suggested. Yet again, Gwen was surprised by his actions. Using his words? That wasn't often his first approach. Though he was known as Silver Tongue, and for a good reason. Maybe he could talk them out of this. As Gwen examined the three siblings, she would've thought Thor was the adopted one. He looked so different from his other two siblings. And acted so different.

"You, sound like him." Hela said, pointing at Loki. She glanced at Gwen. "Don't tell me Odin had another one?" She whined.

"No. I'm Gwen. I'm just here to help." She said confidently. Spending time with the Avengers had definitely helped her be prepared for things like this.

"Good. It looks like you could use all the help you can get." She said to all three of them. "Kneel." She said suddenly.

"Excuse me?" Loki asked in confusion.

"Kneel." She repeated and she made a sword appear out of nowhere. "Before your queen."

"Oh, she is so like you." Gwen muttered to Loki. Loki looked slightly offended but didn't say anything back.

"OK, no." Thor said. He threw Mjolnir at Hela, and, to everyone's surprise, Hela caught it. She held it back with one hand and shot them a smirk. Thor held out his hand to retrieve it, but it didn't come back to him like it usually did. "Its not possible." Thor stammered, still holding his hand out.

Hela's smirk widened. "Darling, you have no idea what's possible." She closed her fingers around Mjolnir. It started to crack and it shattered into a million pieces in an explosion of light. Gwen gasped. OK, she was not prepared for that. She couldn't do that, could she? She wasn't worthy. Thor said that only those worthy could lift the hammer. If Gwen couldn't lift it, then surely Hela couldn't lift it? Could she? Hela ran her hands over her head and a black helmet with multiple horns replaced her hair.

"Take us back!" Loki called up to the sky in a panic. Gwen punched him on the arm. "What?" Loki asked.

"We can't go back!" Gwen said as Thor shouted, "No!" But it was too late. They had been heard ant the light grew around them, carrying them all back to Asgard, along with Hela. They all shot straight up, though, somehow, Hela was catching up. "Loki!" Thor shouted. He looked down and shot his daggers at Hela. Hela dodged them with ease and caught him by the throat. She slammed him into the wall and Loki disappeared through it.

"Loki!" Gwen cried out. Hela was fastly approaching her. Gwen got a better grip on her sword and slashed it at Hela. Hela blocked it with her own sword. She kicked Gwen hard in the stomach and Gwen fell through the wall, slowly feeling the world around her go dark.

A*A*A

When Gwen woke up, she felt cold water hitting her feet repeatedly. With a groan of pain, she sat up. She was on a beach and the waves were lapping at her shoes. Her shoes were soaked through. She heaved a sigh and stood up to look at her surroundings. In front of her was a large ocean of dirty water. Behind her was a large pile of trash. She looked up and saw several purple portals, dropping trash everywhere. She vaguely wondered how long she had been out. Judging by the gnawing pain in her stomachstomach from hunger and the stiffness of her joints, she had been out for a couple days. Maybe two or three. Not knowing where she was or where the others were, she decided to climb up the large pile of trash and see if she could find anyone. She made it to the top andvsaw a large building in the distance. She could also seesee a figure in the distance. She peered closely and saw that they were about to be crushed by a large piece of trash. She shouted a warning and the person dodged it. Not knowing what else to do, she sprinted over to him or her.

Panting, she made it over the last hill. At the bottom of the hill was the person. And she was surprised to see that she already knew him. Thor. "Thor!" She called out. "Are you alright?" She jogged down the hill, taking care not to slip.

"Gwen? Is that you? Thank the norns, you're alright." He sighed. He caught her hand as she slipped down the hill and he helped her stand up straight. "How long have you been here?"

Gwen shrugged. "A couple days I guess. I've been knocked out for a while. You?"

Thor looked at her in surprise. "I just got here." Their conversation was interrupted by the arrival of several wierdos in masks. Gwen gave them an odd stare. They held guns up to them.

"Are you an enemy? Or food?" They asked them, keeping their guns trained on them.

"Neither." Thor said. "We come in peace." He took a few steps toward them. He held up his hands in surrender and Gwen followed his lead.

The first wierdo shrugged. "Food, then." Thor gave a small chuckle and held out his hands. He seemed to remember that he had lost his hammer and he dropped his hands and punched one of them. Gwen kicked the side of another. They continued to fight until weirdo one shot them, but with a net. Something about this net seemed to still their powers because Gwen couldn't use magic to break them out. The weirdos around them kicked them and beat them with sticks till they were saved by a ship arriving. The doors of the ship opened to reveal a pretty girl with long brown hair.

"They're mine." She said triumphantly. She hopped out of her seat and began to walk down her ramp. She took a swig from a bottle and tossed it to the side. Then she fell of the edge of the ramp. The weirdos shrugged and turned back to beating Gwen and Thor. Gwen groaned in pain and frustration as she tried to free herself from the net. "Wait!" The girl shouted again. She stood up and stumbled back over to them. "They're mine, so, if you want them, you'll have to go through me."

"More food." One weirdo commented and they all turned to point their weapons at her. Gwen used the distraction as a chance to start freeing herself from the net. She was almost through when loud gun shots came from the woman's plane. She mowed down all the weirdos in one go. They all fell to the ground dead, with a scream of pain. When they were all dead, she looked satisfied. Thor and Gwen pushed the net off of them and stood up. "Thank you." Thor said. The woman raised a different gun and shot him in the neck. He fell to the floor, being shocked from the device in his neck.

Gwen held up her hands in surrender. "Whoa! OK! You don't need to do that. I'll cooperate." She protested.

The woman smirked at her. "Actually, I do." She shot Gwen in the shoulder and Gwen fell down again, this time, unconscious.


	20. Chapter 20

**a/n: Long author's note today. Can I just say I love my readers and reviewers? I got like nine reviews the other day! You guys are the best! The bomb .com ! Heres some digital cookies for you... (::) (::) (::) (::) As always, I don't own Marvel and please enjoy this chapter! SPOILERS FOR THOR RAGNAROK!**

 **artemis7448- OK, you are awesome! Seriously, awesome. I had another idea for the Loki/Grandmaster/Gwen scene but I loved your idea so much that I included the bit where Loki mentions her to the Grandmaster. Hope you don't mind that I borrowed that. Love your reviews and thank you!**

 **Rosalix Archangel- Thank you so much! I'm glad you like Gwen and this story. You're so nice! I love you, (hope its not awkward that im saying that, I love all my readers and reviewers) You're amazing! Thank you for reading and reviewing! Please enjoy!**

 **C.C. Capitols- (both reviews) Gotta say, you're one of my favorite people ever. *spoiler* There is mention of the whole Steve kiss thing in this chapter, so it does develop into something. Also, I loved writing the whole, "Loki is still alive scene" and them meeting Odin. And to answer your question about how I'm writing this when Thor came out a month ago: I have a wierd talent for memorizing movie lines and song lyrics, so I went and saw Thor twice and I knew a lot of the lines, and the ones I don't know, I just fill in the blanks as best as I can. Glad you like it and thanks for being awesome!**

 **Guest- Glad you like it! Hope you enjoy this chapter, you amazing person!**

 **TheCrazyOne87- Thank you for the correction. I don't know a lot about alcohol so I took a wild guess. I'm glad you like it and thank you for your reviews. Also, I read your story and it was really good. Hope you update soon.**

 **Guest- (number 2) Thank you for reviewing! I couldn't read your whole review because for some reason my phone is being stupid and won't show me your whole review. Anyways, thanks for all your advice. Those are all things I should work on and we will talk a tiny bit more about Gwen and Dormammu in this chapter, and some more in the next chapter.**

Gwen groaned as the woman who shot her in the shoulder talked above her, flying the ship. Thor was lying next to her, unconscious but slowly waking up. "Thor!" She whisper shouted at him. Thor groaned and turned to look at her. "Before we were taken, you didn't see Loki, did you?" Thor shook his head at her with a worried expression. Gwen ran a hand through her hair. If he was dead again, she was going to kill him. But, she was also worried about him, and hoped that he was OK.

Thor pounded on the glass in anger. The glass cracked under the force. "Hey!" He shouted to the woman. She looked down at them and held up a small device. "I am Thor, Prince of Asgard, and you will let us go!" He demanded.

The woman merely smiled at him. "Many apologies, your majesty." She pressed a button on her device and Thor was shocked yet again. He slumped over unconscious. "You too, sweetheart." She said and pressed a different button on a different device. Gwen felt the pain for only a few moments before she blacked out again.

A*A*A

Gwen woke up again, but this time, she was strapped to a chair. She tried to stand up, but her hands and feet were bound. "Gwen?" Thor's voice called out. She turned slightly to the left and saw Thor. He too was bound to a chair. "Are you there?" He asked.

"Yeah, I'm on your right." Gwen said. She struggled against the cuffs. "Where are we?" She mused out loud. Before Thor could answer, several bright neon lights popped on and they started moving. A female voice greeted them.

"Welcome, lost traveler. You have found the place where all unloved things end up. Just like you. What place is that, you ask. Sakaar."

"What the h***?" Both Gwen and Thor questioned at the same time. "You've never heard of this place?" Gwen asked Thor. Thor shook his head in confusion. The female voice went on to talk about their leader called the Grandmaster and his game of champions. Gwen struggled against the cuffs again. No way in h*** was she going to be the slave of some guy called the Grandmaster. Thor was struggling too. Apparently they had really good material on Sakaar because neither Gwen nor Thor could break the bonds. Gwen also couldn't use magic, for some reason. They were like the cuff she had in prison. "You will be meeting the Grandmaster in five, four, three, two, one." The female voice told them. Thor gave a panicked scream and they were suddenly no longer in the tunnel. They were in a room with the woman who had captured them, another woman and a man who must've been the Grandmaster. Gwen, meanwhile, was staring at Thor like the idiot he was. Why was he screaming?

"Oh, this is great!" The Grandmaster said, clapping his hands together. "This is great. You always bring me such great things. You know what I always say about you," he spoke to the woman who shot them. Then he turned to the other woman. "You know, what I always say about her. Tell her. It starts with a b." He waited for her answer.

"Trash." The other woman replied simply. Gwen snorted and turned it into a sneeze when they all looked at her.

"No. No I never say that. No. Were you just waiting for a chance to call her that?" The Grandmaster asked the other woman. "No. Best. That's what I always say. You're the best. OK, what have you brought me today?" He moved closer to Thor and Gwen in his chair.

"A contender." The woman replied. "And I'm not sure about this one." She gestured to Gwen. Gwen glared at her in anger. If she weren't in this chair, she could kill every single one of them and they wouldn't see it coming.

"Yes." The Grandmaster circled Thor. "Yes, he'll do nicely as a contender." He examined him up and down. "This one..." He looked Gwen up and down, "I'm not so sure about. Look at this, all skin and bone. No muscle." He touched her arm briefly and Gwen almost yanked it away. She was about to come out with some talk about how she could kill every single one of them and all his champions, but she stopped herself. She saw an opportunity to get out of these chains. If he saw her as weak, she could trick him into letting her out of this chair and, once she won his trust, escape with Thor.

"You're right." Gwen said with a shy smile. "I'm not much of a fighter. I won't last two seconds against any of your champions."

The Grandmaster nodded. "Yes, we'll find some other position for you."

"You're kindness is overwhelming, Grandmaster." Gwen gushed with a grin at him. The Grandmaster smiled.

"See, I like her. Hang on, let her out of these chains." Grandmaster told the woman. She sighed and let her out. Gwen stood up and stretched, smirking at the woman. "Oh yeah, how much for them?"

"Fifty thousand credits." She demanded.

"Tell her she's being ridiculous." The other girl protested.

"No, just... Transfer the credits." The Grandmaster told her. The woman who had shot them started to walk away, but not before touching the Grandmaster's cheek. He smiled and pretended to wave her away.

"You'll pay for this." Thor warned her.

"No, I got paid for this." She told him before leaving.

"This one here, he's a fighter." The Grandmaster complimented.

Thor chuckled. "Let me out of these chains and I'll show you."

The Grandmaster chuckled too. "Ha, he's threatening me. That's cute. What did you say you're name was, again?"

Thor struggled against his cuffs. "I... Am... The God... Of... Thunder!" He cried triumphantly. He had broken the cuffs from the chair, his hands in the air. Lightning sparked from his fingertips. The cuffs must've been magnetic because they instantly slammed back down. Gwen slapped a hand to her forehead but couldn't keep the grin off her face.

"Wow." The Grandmaster said sarcastically. "I didn't hear any thunder, but was that sparkles coming out of your fingertips?" Gwen laughed, for two reasons. One, it would gain her favor with the Grandmaster and it was just funny. The Grandmaster smiled, but didn't let her see. "And uh, what was your name again?" Gwen feigned a kind smile and a blush.

"Gwen, sir." She said with a small curtsey. He held out his hand and she shook it.

"Well, Gwen. You seem like a nice girl with good manners. You can stick with me, until your ah, friend here, leaves."

"That's awfully kind of you, Grandmaster. And I apologize for my friends behavior. He's just stupid." Thor glared at her while the Grandmaster's grin widened. "Would you mind telling me what this place is?" She asked, innocently glancing around the room.

"Well, follow me. I'll show you." Gwen followed him and Thor's chair followed too. Gwen walked next to Thor. "Gwen, that seems like a familiar name. Do you know anyone here?"

Gwen shook her head. "Not that I know of sir." The Grandmaster merely nodded and lead them down the halls.

"What are you doing?" Thor asked her with a scowl.

"I'm getting us out of here. Its called charm, MC Hammer." Gwen said to him with a smile. She had a thought, she remembered his hammer was destroyed. She couldn't call him that anymore. "As soon as I've gained his full trust, I'll get us both out of here."

"Why not just break me out now, and we bust out of this joint?" Thor asked. Gwen shook her head.

"That won't work. He won't let me out of his sight until he trusts me. I swear, when he does, we will be out of here as soon as we can." Gwen assured him.

"Where did you learn to lie like that?" Thor asked out of curiosity.

"I'm a criminal, remember?" She tapped the side of her head. "Not to mention, I fell in love with old Silver Tongue himself." When they arrived at the room the Grandmaster wanted to show them. Inside was a man with white hair, red eyes and almost blueish skin. He was in a chair similar to Thor's. He gave them a terrified look.

"Hang on." The Grandmaster said. He took a large staff from his other right hand woman and pressed it to the chest of the man. He screamed in pain and started to melt away. Gwen hid her shock well, but Thor didn't. He looked appalled and said, "Oh, the smell!" The Grandmaster began hopping on one foot. "Great, he got on my shoes. I'll need to change." He shot a glance to Gwen. "You should change too. No offense, " he offered in a tone that sounded like he meant all the offense in the world, "but you smell like you slept in garbage." Gwen laughed to yet again to please him and because he was right on.

"You're absolutely right, Grandmaster. Unfortunately, I have no clothes to change into." She spread out her hands in apology.

"Well, no worries. I have some." He placed a hand on her upper back, right between her shoulder blades. "In fact, you should probably be shown around and get a room. Ah! I know just the man! He's new too. You'll love him. Come, let me show you." He lead Gwen out of the room and Thor followed behind them in his chair.

He lead them to a room which held a lot of different people and aliens. They were all dressed in neon colors, which seemed to be the height of fashion on Sakaar. Some pop music played from a stereo type thing. "Well, I'm the Grandmaster and you're on Sakaar. Famous for my contest of champions."

"I need to go. I need to return to Asgard." Thor demanded.

The Grandmaster gave a small chuckle. "A**-gard? Well, I tell you what, anyone who beats my champion, is free to go."

"Fine, just point me in the direction of whoever's a** I have to kick!" Thor said, loudly and angrily. Gwen made a slashing motion across her neck to tell him to stop. Thor didn't get the message and Gwen sighed. The Grandmaster turned to have a quick discussion with someone else. Thor struggled against the bonds and turned his head towards the party. Then, his expression brightened considerably. "Loki! Loki!" He called out. Gwen whipped her head around in shock and saw that he was right. Loki was sitting on the couch having a drink with a few other guys. Loki excused himself and went over to them.

He sighed in relief and took Gwen's hand. "You're alive. Thank the nine realms." Without her permission, he leaned in and kissed her cheek. "Don't scare me like that." He told her sternly.

Gwen opened her mouth in protest. "Excuse you! Who pretended to be dead for months?" She said. Then she punched his arm again. "Idiot! I thought you were dead again."

"Never mind that, what are you doing here?" Thor asked Loki.

"I've been here for weeks. I've only just gained the Grandmaster's trust." Loki said.

"I've only been here one day. Gwen's only been here two days. How did you... Never mind. Get me out of these chains." Thor demanded.

"I can't. It took me weeks to gain his trust, if I tell him to let you go, I'll lose it like that." Loki retaliated.

Thor opened his mouth to argue but the Grandmaster was back now. "Hey, what're you talking about?" He asked. "Oh, Loki! You're just the guy I wanted to see! Also, you know this, you call yourself the Lord of Thunder?"

"God of Thunder." Thor corrected. "And yes, he knows me."

"I've never met this man before in my life." Loki lied easily.

"We're brothers." Thor said.

"Adopted." Loki corrected.

"Right, well I really don't care right now. You, my friend, are going to the rooms for contenders and you my other friend, will find my new friend some new clothes and a room. The one next to yours is open, I think."

"Yes, of course, Grandmaster." Loki said with a nod.

"Thank you so very much, Grandmaster." Gwen said kindly. She reached out and touched his arm, which gave him the same reaction as when the woman who shot her did. Gwen tried to ignore it, but she heard Loki's quiet scowl.

"Right. So, do you know each other as well or..." He asked.

"Oh yes." Loki said. "We know each other."

"Is this the one you spoke of? The one you asked me to keep an eye out for?" Grandmaster asked. Gwen felt her heart leap. Loki had actually mentioned her to the Grandmaster? Another surprise from him.

"Yes, she is, Grandmaster." Loki replied, giving her a small smile. "The one and only." Gwen fought hard to remain expressionless. He was making it very hard to hate him.

"Well then, you are most welcome. Uh, you can go... show her to her room. I'll have some clothes sent ahead." The Grandmaster dismissed them. Loki put an arm around Gwen's shoulders and to his surprise, she didn't shrug it off. He had a thought that she might be keeping up appearances with the Grandmaster and the minute he was out of sight, she would shrug it off. She didn't. She allowed him to lead her to the rooms.

"So, how did you two meet?" Gwen asked awkwardly to Loki, referring to the Grandmaster. She wasn't sure how to start a conversation with him now. She hated that. She hated that she wasn't close to him anymore. But it might take a while to fill in the blanks and pick up where they left off. She knew that, but it was a bit frustrating when all she wanted was for things to go back to normal. Gwen knew she was part of the problem. If she would just forgive him, then it could be normal again. But she wasn't sure she was ready to forgive him for leaving her alone on earth.

"I arrived here about two weeks ago. I was keeping out of sight until I ran across this city. I was found by the Grandmaster, and, being the charming person I am, I got him to trust me and let me stay." Loki explained. "What about you? Thor said you'd been here a few days. Where were you and how did you gain the Grandmaster's favor so easily?"

"I was unconscious for the first few days. Lucky thing no one found me. Then I woke up, found Thor and here we are." Gwen said with a shrug. "I also don't know why the Grandmaster likes me already. He didn't want to make me a contender. Said I was too weak." Gwen rolled her eyes and Loki gave a soft laugh. "Anyway, like you, I used charm to get out of it and now I'm in the club I guess. But as soon as we can, we're leaving with Thor." She told him.

"Well, here we are." Loki said, deliberately ignoring her last comment. He didn't want to start an argument with her. "You can go grab the clothes and move them into my room." Loki said. It wasn't a demand but it didn't sound like an option either.

Gwen tilted her head slightly. "And what if I don't want to, your worship?" She said. Loki didn't look terribly surprised.

"Well, I thought you'd say something like that." He shot her another one of his smirks. "So, how about a wager?" Loki asked, clasping his hands together.

"A wager?" Gwen echoed. "On what?"

"I've heard the Grandmaster's champion is astonishingly savage. So, I want to know who you think is going to win tomorrow." Loki eyed her carefully.

Gwen snorted. "Thor. Easily. Hardly any competition." She saw his look. "Why? You think he'll lose? Or maybe you hope he'll lose?" She guessed.

"Spot on." Loki said with a nod. "I haven't seen the Grandmaster's champion yet, but I'm betting he will win. If he does, you join me in my room. If not, then you can stay in whatever room you wish." Loki offered. "What do you think?"

Gwen considered it. If she won, she got to choose where she was staying so that was good. If she lost, she had to stay with Loki. She tried to tell herself that she hated that idea, but she knew, in the back of her brain, that she would like it. So, on the whole, it sounded like a win win situation. She brightened even more when she thought that he could help her with her nightmares again. They hadn't left and they were getting progressively worse. Now, she saw Thanos physically rip her world in half and then he slowly killed the ones she loved. It wasn't pretty or fun and she had been waking up, screaming every night since she left Loki. The walls at the facility were generally sound proof, so no one heard her screams. Which was good. She didn't want them asking awkward questions. She realized she had been thinking a long time. Loki was waiting patiently for her answer. Slowly, she said, "Won't the Grandmaster notice?"

Loki shook his head. "Its not like the Grandmaster is constantly checking up on me. We'll be fine. And even if he did know, I wouldn't care. I could go tell him right now, if you want."

Gwen shrugged. "Why not? I'm never one to shrink away from a challenge." She shook Loki's hand. "Its a deal." Loki nodded, their hand shake lingering. Until, Gwen finally broke away. "I should go get changed."

"Alright. I'll wait out here for you." Loki said. Gwen gave him a smile. She opened the door to her room and stepped inside. It was a nice room. About as big as her room at the Avengers facility. There was a large bed next to a large window overlooking Sakaar. There was a bathroom and a large walk in closet. She took a look in it and found the clothes the Grandmaster had provided for her. She picked it up and found a nice blue dress. It was the same blue as his eyeliner and makeup that he wore. In the back was a neon yellow cape similar to Loki's. Like she thought, neon colors were the fad on Sakaar. The dress was full length, except for the sleeves, which covered maybe two inches of her shoulders. She shed her other clothes and pulled on the dress. It fit well so she walked back outside to find Loki waiting for her. "You look nice." He complimented.

"Thank you." She said and they began to walk back to the party. She didn't want to spread them further apart but she just had to ask. "Loki?" She asked. Loki hummed in reply. "Why did you pretend to be dead?"

Loki sighed. He knew this was coming, but he wasn't sure he was ready for it. "Well, as you know, I was headed to trial when we were seperated. I knew they would condemn me and I wasn't ready for us to be apart forever. So I faked my death and made Thor think I was dead. Then, I started to head back to Midgard. It took me about three weeks. When I did return, I arrived in Manhattan. I was passing a... What do you call it? TV?" Gwen nodded. "Anyway, I passed a TV store and saw you on it. You were with Stark and you had joined the Avengers." He said it with faint distaste. "And I realized, you had moved on and I was too late. And that maybe, you belonged with them more than you belonged with me. I was angry too. Not just at you, but at the Avengers for taking you from me and getting you to join them. So I left." His voice softened. "I've regretted that decision from the moment I made it."

Gwen swallowed hard. "How could you think that?"

"Don't tell me you didn't move on." Loki said in shock. Gwen blushed, remembering the kiss with Steve. "Well, your blush tells me something happened." His voice turned hard and cold.

"No I didn't." Gwen shook her head. But it was too late. Loki glared at her and she sighed. "I never stopped... Loving you. Never. I missed you so much. I went a little crazy, started seeing you everywhere. Anyway, it was one time. It meant absolutely nothing to me, I swear. He's only a friend. Anyway, we were talking and I got excited and I..." She blushed again. "I... kissed his cheek." She turned her head away from Loki.

He was silent for a long moment. Then he cleared his throat. "Who?" He asked coldly.

"Does it matter?" She asked quietly.

"Of course it does." Loki snapped back.

Gwen sighed. "It was Steve."

"Rogers?" Loki asked stiffly. He already hated the soldier, but now his hatred only grew for him. What was worse, he could see that Gwen liked him a lot, even if it was only as a friend. And it pissed him off.

Gwen gave a reluctant nod. "Yeah. Please believe me when I say it meant absolutely nothing. It means nothing to him, too. He has his own girlfriend. You have no idea, the guilt I felt after it, even though you were dead." Loki stayed silent, looking straight ahead. Gwen felt herself get angry. "Oh, so you're allowed to be mad at me for that, when you faked your own death and dumped me on earth? It meant nothing and I would take it back in a heart beat."

"Don't act like I don't regret what I did too." Loki said, moved to anger himself. "I would take it back if I could, but I can't." Loki softened his tone. He gave a soft chuckle. "I guess we both have reasons to be pissed off at the other." Gwen looked down with a chuckle and nodded, her anger fading. Loki hesitantly reached out and grabbed her hand. Gwen didn't yank it away so he continued. "I'm sorry I left you. And I'm sorry I pretended to be dead. Do you think you could ever forgive me?" He remembered what Thor said about begging for forgiveness. He stopped walking and fell to his knees dramatically. He was overdoing it now, and he knew it, but he thought Gwen might think it was funny. "Please, Gwen, my love, please forgive me for all the hurt I caused you. It will never happen again."

Gwen smiled and rolled her eyes. "Oh, get up you bloody idiot." She said. Loki stood up, looking into her eyes expectantly. "I've forgiven you. But it might take some time for things to go back to normal between us. I don't think we can just pick up where we left off." Loki nodded.

"Hope is all I need." He said happily.

"And," Gwen dramatically dropped to her own knees. "Will you forgive me for kissin Steve? I swear it meant nothing and nothing like that will ever happen again. Not with Steve. Not with any other men."

"Of course I'll forgive you. You thought I was dead. Its understandable." He waved it away. "Now, shall we rejoin the party?" Loki asked her and offered his arm. Gwen took it with a nod and they walked back to the party.

The Grandmaster was awaiting their return. "Ah, I just wanted to tell you- you look lovely by the way." He said with a nod to Gwen.

Gwen smiled at him and gave a small bow. "Thank you Grandmaster. I love it."

"You're welcome. Oh! Right, I wanted to tell you both that your friend, the Lord of Thunder, will be fighting my champion tomorrow and you two will be joining me in my private box."

"Thank you Grandmaster." Loki said. The Grandmaster left them to go talk to a different group of people.

"Have you seen his contest of champions?" Gwen asked Loki curiously. Loki handed her a drink and Gwen took it gratefully. A waiter passed with a platter of food. Gwen took some, not even bothering to see what it was. She was starving.

"Oh, I've seen a few fights. Like I said, I haven't seen his grand champion but the ones I have seen are brutal. A fair few have died." Gwen's eyes widened in surprise.

"Well, if Thor looks like he's about to die, I'm interfering." Gwen determined. Then she looked up at Loki. "You should go talk to him. I should talk to him to."

"Why? What would I even say?" Loki said.

"Oh I don't know." Gwen said sarcastically. "Rack your brains Loki. Maybe an apology? An explanation? All of those sound like good ideas. Maybe give him one of these drinks. I'm sure he'd appreciate that." The drink was good. It tasted fruity but with a much stronger kick to it. Gwen suspected some form of alcohol, but tried not to think about it. Loki hesitated still. Gwen gave him a shove. "Would you just go do it? Then I'll go after you."

"I'm not going in there. I went in there once and it was filthy." Loki protested. Gwen scoffed and rolled her eyes.

"Gosh, you're stupid." She muttered. "You don't even need to go in there. Just do that thing where you multiply yourself. Send in an illusion or whatever."

Loki sighed. "Fine, fine." He sat down on the couch and started to concentrate. He didn't speak to anyone else and seemed to freeze. Onlookers gave him the occasional odd glance.

"Hey, what's going on with our dear friend?" The Grandmaster asked her, tapping her shoulder. "He have too much to drink?"

Gwen smiled. "Oh no. He's just doing a magic trick of sorts. I asked him to show me one."

"Ah. I had no idea he was a magician." The Grandmaster said. He waved a hand in front of Loki's face and Loki had no reaction. "You sure he's OK?" He asked. Gwen nodded and Loki came to. Gwen clapped like he had done something incredible.

"See, Grandmaster? Magic!" She said, overly excited. Loki didn't look confused for long because he smiled and gave a small bow of thanks.

"Ah." The Grandmaster nodded. "Thought it might be the drinks. Its happened before. We're not sure what's in them, but they taste good so..." The Grandmaster started to walk away.

"Uh, Grandmaster?" Gwen called out. He turned around. "Is it alright if I go and visit my friend, the Go- ahem Lord of Thunder? Just want to wish him luck, since I hear your champion never loses." The Grandmaster nodded, granting her permission. "Thank you, Grandmaster." She turned back to Loki. "How'd it go?"

Loki snorted. "Oh, very well." Gwen sighed and rubbed her face.

"Great. You couldn't try to get along, could you?" Loki remained silent. "Forget it. I'll be back in a minute." She walked over to the door to the contender's rooms. She opened it and immediately knew what Loki meant. The place was extremely filthy. Covered in dirt and grime. She saw Thor leaning against the wall a couple yards away. She jogged over to him. "Hey." She called out. Thor picked up a pebble and tossed it at her. Gwen just barely deflected it. "What the h*** dude?" She protested.

"Oh." Thor said. "I thought you might be an illusion too."

"So you throw a rock at me?" She questioned.

"Well, given that you and my brother seemed to have abandoned me, yeah." Thor said angrily. "I can't believe you. I thought you were different. I thought you were an Avenger. Avenger's don't abandon each other."

Gwen shook her head. "I'm not an Avenger. At least, I shouldn't be. Ross was right. I'm a criminal. I'm selfish and power hungry and I don't deserve to be an Avenger." She confessed. She knew she was right in every statement. She wasn't with Thor right now because of all those reasons. She was selfish for letting him go alone. She was power hungry because she wanted to be in the Grandmaster's circle and she wanted to be with Loki. She really didn't deserve to be an Avenger. Nor did she deserve forgiveness for what she had done before that at Kamar Taj. It was her lust for power and eternal life that drove her to Dormamu. It was her selfishness that made her completely forget her father. And while she had tried to drop that, those things were still there.

"I didn't mean..." Thor mumbled but Gwen cut him off.

"Don't bother denying it. I know what I am." She sighed. "I am trying, Thor. I'm working on getting you out of here. As soon as I can, I will. And we will leave for Asgard immediately."

"Have you and Loki discussed the fact that you have different plans?" Thor asked with a scoff.

"What do you mean?" Gwen asked with a confused look on her face. Loki had other plans? Not anymore. She was going to put a stop to that.

"I mean, your precious Loki wants to stay here. Abandon Asgard. He said he hopes that an accident befalls the Grandmaster so you two can take over with me." Thor snorted. "Then he said he placed a huge wager against me tomorrow. Where did he even get money?"

Gwen huffed. "Of course he did. I told him to apologize, but no. Sorry about him." She apologized, pointedly avoiding the mention of the wager. "If it makes you feel any better, I've placed a wager against the Grandmaster's champion." She said with a small grin. Thor didn't smile. Gwen sighed. "I'm really sorry. I should've made a better decision earlier on when we first met the Grandmaster, but I didn't. Tony was right. I win by deciet." Thor still remained silent. "I also came to wish you good luck."

There were several loud footsteps from behind her. A voice shouted at her. "Another d*** ghost! Piss off ghost!" A man that looked like he was made out of rocks lifted a leg to aim a kick at her. Gwen spun to the side and dodged the kick.

"She's OK. She's with me." Thor told the guy.

"Oh. Sorry about that. Thought you were another one of them ghosts." He told Gwen kindly. "Are you another contender?" He didn't wait for an answer. "Well, allow me to introduce myself. My name a Korg. I'm kinda the leader here. And yes, I'm made out of rocks. Don't be afraid, unless you're made out of scissors. Just a rock paper scissors joke for you."

"Well, its nice to meet you Korg, but I'm not a contender. I'm just here to wish my friend good luck. I'll be leaving now." She nodded at both Thor and Korg and left the room. Loki was waiting for her with another drink. "So," she began as casually as possible, "care to tell me why you don't want to return to Asgard?"

Loki looked at her like she was insane. "You too? How can you even be considering going back? You saw Hela, she broke his hammer like it was glass."

"That's exactly why we need to return. What do you think is happening to Asgard right now? I can guarantee that someone has already tried to stand up to her, not knowing what they were facing and ended up dead. We need to save Asgard. How could you abandon them? That's your home, those are your people!" She argued, her voice starting to rise.

Loki snorted. "Because they cared so much about me."

Gwen sighed again. "Point taken." She mumbled. She grabbed the drink from Loki and took a long swig. She was going to need it if she was going to last these next few days.


	21. Chapter 21

**a/n: Sorry for the wait! But what with swim practice and meets and homework and school I got busy. This chapter I pretty slow, so just bear with me. The next one will be better, hopefully. Also, there's this one song stuck in my head that I can just picture Gwen or Loki thinking it about the other. The song is, "This is How You Remind Me" by Nickleback. So tell me what you think of that song. I'll probably hate it for them in about a week so... Please enjoy! (I don't own Marvel) SPOILERS FOR THOR RAGNAROK!**

 **Rosalix Archangel- Thank you for your review! You're awesome! So *spoiler* yeah there will be tension between Gwen and Valkyrie. I honestly love that you even thought of a ship name for Gwen and Loki so either works for me. I can't decide which one I like better. And yes, I saw the trailer like, a billion times! I'm super excited because I'm also going to write that one into this story. And thank _you_ for putting a smile on _my_ face! Happy reading!**

Gwen sang softly as she ran a brush through her hair. There was a gentle breeze blowing outside. She was standing on the porch watching the sun creep higher into the sky. Loki had gone to go find where Thor and Bruce were. He had said he'd be back in about ten minutes. It had been twenty. Gwen wasn't terribly concerned. She figured he had just ran into the Grandmaster or something like that and stopped to have a little chat.

As she continued to sing, she suddenly felt some fingertips on her waist. She jumped and brought a fist around to hit whoever it was. Loki caught her arm with a smirk. "Easy darling. Just me." Gwen gave a breathy chuckle. She had spent too much time being paranoid, what with Avengers work and all that.

"Sorry." She apologized with a sheepish grin. "Don't sneak up on me like that."

"I'll try not to." Loki said but Gwen could tell he was lying.

"What took you so long? Did you find them?" Gwen asked.

"Were you worried about me darling?" Loki asked, his smirk widening.

Gwen scoffed. "No." Loki nodded, but yet again, she could tell he didn't believe her. Which was odd since she was actually telling the truth.

"I ran into the Grandmaster on my way back." Loki explained. "He knows now, by the way. He knows about us."

"And what was his reaction?" Gwen asked curiously.

"Well, all he said was, 'You and her, huh?' and I said, 'Yes' then he nodded and said, 'I'd watch that.' Then he walked away."

Gwen clutched her side from laughing so hard. "That sounds like him." She commented, wiping away a tear. "But in all seriousness, you did find them?"

Loki nodded, a smile on his own lips. "They're just above us. Two floors up." Gwen grinned and stood on tiptoe to kiss him quickly.

"You're the best." She exclaimed.

"Oh, I've heard." Loki smirked.

Gwen laughed lightly, which made Loki give a real, genuine smile. "Hey. I love you." She told him on impulse. Loki placed his hand on her cheek and pulled her in for another kiss.

"I love you more." He murmured to her.

Gwen shook her head with a smile. "Impossible."

"Try me darling." Was Loki's reply. They kissed again, then Loki gave her a small shove. "Now get going. I thought you wanted to visit my brother and the beast."

"He's not a beast." Gwen corrected him, yet again.

"Oh alright. Banner, then." Loki conceded. "See you for lunch?"

Gwen nodded and left the room. She turned left to head up the stairs and then up two floors. She went to the end of the hall. As she got closer, she could see the inside of the room. Banner was still the Hulk and he was tossing something against the wall. Thor was leaning next to the window, watching the ground below. She gave a few taps on the side of the door to let them know that she was there. They turned to her. Thor gave a nod to the Hulk and the Hulk pressed a button and Thor gestured for her to come in. "Hey." Gwen began tentatively. "How are you? Are you feeling fine?" She asked Thor. She approached him cautiously and touched his arm.

Thor brushed her away. "Yeah I'm fine." He came closer to her so Bruce wouldn't hear. "I would've won had the Grandmaster guy not interfered."

Gwen nodded and suppressed a smile. It was just like Thor, to want everyone to know how great he was. And while he was powerful, there was danger in arrogance. And Gwen knew it well. "I know you would. Why do you think I placed my bet on you?" Gwen cursed internally as she realized what she had said. Thor's face fell into an angry frown.

"You made a wager on the fight?" Thor asked, his voice angry. Gwen sighed and rubbed her temples. She wished she hadn't slipped up like that. She knew why he was mad. A friend wouldn't bet on your fights, unless you were in them willingly. "So that's what Loki meant when he said he placed a wager against me. Where did either of you get money, anyway?"

"I know, I know. I'm a terrible friend." Gwen apologized. "I'm sorry. But I wasn't going to turn it down, because I don't like turning away from a challenge. Also, we didn't bet money."

"Then what did you-"

"Don't ask." Gwen sighed again. "I'm really sorry." There was an awkward pause until Thor mumbled that he accepted her apology. "So, God of Thunder, what's the plan?"

Thor beckoned her over to the window. Gwen cane over to see what Thor was pointing at. "See the quinjet there?" Gwen nodded. "That's what the Hulk flew here in. I'll check it out later, see if its still functional. If it is, I'll get you and the Valkyrie to join me and we'll fly out of here."

"Valkyrie?" Gwen frowned.

"You know, the woman who brought us here." Thor cleared up. Gwen felt a tiny bit of anger bubble up in her.

"You mean the woman who shot us?" Thor nodded. "And you want her... Why? No offense, but I'm not overly fond of the woman." Gwen said with a roll of her eyes. "Why do you want her anyway? Don't tell me you trust her?" Gwen examined him closely. She could tell by his eyes that he did.

"The Valkyrie's are sworn to protect the throne of Asgard." Thor told her. Gwen scoffed.

"Yes." Gwen gave a breathy sarcastic laugh. "And she is doing a marvelous job of that. Asgard has been invaded, all while she sits here. Not to mention she shot the heir to the throne of Asgard." Gwen said. Thor looked at her, as if he was remembering something. Or someone. "What?" She asked.

"Nothing." Thor shook it off. "I don't think she believed me. Nor do I think she knows what's happening. If I explain it to her, I'm sure she'll come help."

"Right." Gwen said slowly. "And how do you plan on getting her here?"

Thor nodded to the Hulk, who was still tossing some sort of ball at the wall. "She brought him here. They're old friends. He'll summon her here and I'll talk to her." Thor said it like it was simple.

"What makes you so sure she'll come?" Gwen was still doubtful.

"She will." Thor said, determined. Gwen sighed, not wanting to argue anymore. She didn't like it. Not one bit. She didn't trust this Valkyrie. But if she was being perfectly honest with herself, they probably needed her. Desperately. She thought over Thor's words. He had only said him, herself, and the Valkyrie. He hadn't mentioned the Hulk or Loki. She gave a nod to the Hulk.

"What about him? He's coming, isn't he? And Loki?" Thor just shook his head and sighed. The Hulk stopped bouncing the red ball and stomped over to them.

"No team. Only Hulk." He said loudly. Then he tossed the ball to Thor who eyed Gwen and tossed it to her. Gwen caught it and nearly stumbled. It was heavier than it looked. But she regained her balance and tossed it as hard as she could to Bruce. The Hulk caught it and grunted in a pleased sort of way. "Girl strong. She friend?" He asked Thor.

Thor nodded. "Yeah. She's an Avenger too. Sure you don't want to come home?" Thor tried to reason with him, but the Hulk was back at the wall, tossing the ball again. Thor sighed again. "He says he won't help. That earth hates him."

"That's ridiculous." Gwen said. Then she lowered her voice. "Have you tried the lullaby again?" She muttered to Thor. Thor snorted.

"Yeah. Because that worked so well last time." Thor shook his head.

"Well, to be fair, you had just punched him into a wall when you did it last time. Let me try. Bruce is in there somewhere. I'll get him out."

Thor grabbed her arm as she walked over there. "I agree we should get him out eventually, but now? We kinda need the Hulk and not Banner."

"Yes, but as we can see, the Hulk is not in a reasoning mood. Bruce probably is. If we get Bruce back and convince him to come, then all we have to do is get him angry and he'll be the Hulk again."

"And how do you propose we do that?"

Gwen gave a shrug. "I have a few ideas." Then she pulled her arm away and went over to the Hulk. The Hulk stopped bouncing and tossed it to her. Gwen caught it with an "oof" and held it to her side. The Hulk waited for her to toss back and looked disappointed when she didn't. "Hey big guy." She began softly. "The suns getting real low." She reached out a hand to touch him. The Hulk looked at her. At first, Gwen thought she saw a softness in his eyes. But if it was there, it went away quickly. It was replaced with anger.

"No lullaby!" He shouted and he punched the nearby bed with a powerful fist. Gwen jumped and tossed him the ball. He caught and gave a grunt of satisfaction before continuing to toss it against the wall. She walked back over to Thor, who was giving her a patronizing look.

"That went well." He said sarcastically. Gwen scowled.

"Shut up." She growled. "Its not like you did so much better." Thor ignored her. She went on. "And Loki?" She said stiffly. "You're going to leave him here?"

Thor was silent for a moment. "I don't think he'll want to come." He said quietly.

"Oh, he'll come." Gwen said vigorously. Then she started to walk out.

"What gives you that idea?" Thor said, though he still sounded doubtful. Gwen turned before she hit the exit. She gave him a small smirk and a jerk of her head.

"Because I'm going." She smirked wider and gave the two a wave. The Hulk waved back while Thor just looked doubtful.

A*A*A

Gwen was singing again. It was a soft melody, a soft song. _Piano Man_ by Billy Joel. Her taste in music was so varied. She listened to rock, pop, alternative and from all different time periods as well. She wasn't overly fond of country or rap, but there were a few songs in those generes that she enjoyed. She was on the porch again, waiting for it to be lunch time. Loki would come and fetch her. What she didn't know, was that Loki was standing behind her now, leaning in the doorway, listening to her sing. A faint smile crawled on his lips.

When she sang the last note, she closed her eyes. Now that Thor had pointed it out, she could easily see the quinjet. She wondered if it would still be functional after a year of sitting in the trash. But it was the only plan they had at the moment. Gwen sighed. She had a sudden yearning for her sword and for clothes that she could fight in, and for Caesar to give her directions, and to work with Steve and Nat and Wanda and Scott and Tony and Loki and Thor and they all got along.

Suddenly, she could see it in her mind. A perfect future. It was almost like a vision, it was so real. All the Avengers were back together. Loki had been pardoned and he too was an Avenger. Thanos was dead and everything was perfect. And, best of all, there was a little boy. He had black hair and blue eyes with flecks of gold in them. He was giggling as he ran up to Gwen and Gwen picked him up. Gwen could hear him say mommy before she opened her eyes. She started to breathe heavier and she placed a hand on her stomach. Never before had she wanted children, till now. Now, because of her weird vision/dream thing, she did. And- could it be- was she pregnant? She felt as if some form of new life had come within her, but that was impossible. She was still a virgin. How could she be pregnant? But she felt it. That feeling of new life. It was almost as if she were like her father, and she could sense it. Was this her destiny? To carry the heir to the throne of Asgard? That is, if Thor never had any kids. And there was still the question of how this had happened. Gwen was still breathing heavily as she felt an arm slip around her waist.

"Hey. Are you alright?" Loki asked her. Gwen focused on slowing her breathing. She had to tell him. In the vision, the little boy looked just like Loki, but with her eyes, so it had to be his. But she had no idea what his reaction would be. Would he be happy? Pleased? Angry? Shocked, for sure. Unless, he could tell her how this happened.

"Loki." She whispered and turned to face him. "I saw it. I saw him."

"Saw who? Saw what? Was it Thanos again? Who did you have to kill this time?" Loki demanded, grabbing her shoulders, so she would stay grounded in reality. Though, this was her calmest reaction so far.

Gwen shook her head and swallowed hard. "Not that. This was different." She forced her dry tongue to seperated from the roof of her mouth so she could speak. "I saw the future. Or at least, glimpses of the future. I'm not sure if any of it is certain. But, it was all so wonderful and... I saw a child." She looked up and the blue eyes met the green. "Our child." She placed a hand on her stomach.

There were few times that Gwen had seen Loki speechless. This was one of those few times. He opened his mouth, but froze as what she said sank in. He stared at her for the longest time before forcing himself to speak. "You're not..." He trailed off. Gwen nodded, placing a hand on her stomach. Loki shook his head in reply. "But... I don't understand. I never- you never- we never- but... Are you sure?"

Gwen nodded again, a ghost of a smile on her lips. "I can feel it. I can feel life stirring within me. Its weak, but its there. But, I suppose I can't be certain. But, its almost as if I could feel him."

"Him?" Was all Loki could ask. Gwen laughed lightly.

"Yes. Him." She sobered and looked into his eyes. "Are you happy?" She asked tentatively.

Loki nodded quickly. "Yes, of course. I'm very happy. I just... Don't understand. I have heard of some children being obtained by magic, but it is very rare. And I don't know how that happens either." Then he took a deep breath and smiled. He reached out and placed his own hand on her stomach. "What about you? Are you happy?"

"Yes. I wish you could see him like I did. He was... Amazing. I've never thought about being a parent. Not until now, anyway." She smiled fondly at the memory.

"Maybe I can see him." Loki said, sounding excited. Another rare thing for him. "If you'll allow me. I might see some other things." He warned, reaching his other hand up to touch her head.

"I have nothing to hide." Gwen said.

"If you're sure." Loki said with a nod, his smile widening. "Close your eyes. Focus on your vision. And I'll see it." Gwen did so. She thought mostly of the child, how he looked and behaved. How he ran to her and called her mommy. And this time, there was something new. Loki was there too, patting the child's hair as the child giggled. Then, Gwen opened her eyes. "He's..." Loki trailed off, at a loss for words. No words could describe the child he had seen in the vision. He had never been fond of children before. Now, all he wanted was to meet his son.

Gwen nodded. Even though he didn't finish, she knew exactly what he meant. "I know. I can't wait to meet him."

A*A*A

Loki wasn't eating lunch. He was watching Gwen who, since she had discovered she was pregnant had been craving different foods. Whether or not it was just in her head, she had been starving and craving all the foods the Grandmaster had to offer. Though she was pointedly avoiding the drinks, only accepting water.

When Gwen finished her last bite and swallow of water, she realized everyone was staring at her. She had been eating rather quickly. She gave them all a sheepish grin and a shrug. The Grandmaster was watching both her and Loki closely. "So," he began, "how long have you two..." He trailed off.

Gwen and Loki locked eyes and smiled. "Its complicated." Gwen replied.

"I've got time." Was his reply.

"Well, it started months ago but..." Gwen paused, unsure how to explain.

"But I had to go take care of something." Loki filled in. "And she had a job that needed to be done." Gwen had never thought of it in that way. But now, she supposed that made sense. There were some things she needed to learn from the Avengers. How to be brave. And how to be selfless. And how to be the hero the earth needed her to be. She also needed to be there for Steve. For Wanda, Nat, Clint, Scott, Bucky. Even Tony and the kid, the Spiderman. She wasn't there as much for Tony, but she wanted to be. While she disagreed with him, she could see his point and she now regretted all her anger towards him.

Meanwhile, the Grandmaster continued the conversation with Loki, discussing a different topic. Gwen tuned it out, thinking longingly of home. Of her room in the facility. Despite how much she had missed Loki, it had become home to her. She felt as if it had been years since she had been home, when it had only been about a week or so. When they finished their conversation, Gwen stood and left with Loki.

A*A*A

Gwen marched up the stairs to Thor's room. She was unsure of what else to do. She and Loki had just gotten rather angry at one another over leaving for Asgard again. Before it could explode, Gwen had left. She sighed as she ran a hand through her hair. Sometimes she forgot just how different Loki was compared to his brother. He was stubborn and unmoving in his opinions. Gwen knew that she could be the same way, but when it was yourself, it made more sense. She knocked on the door frame to their room. She hadn't seen anyone in there before, but now she saw the Hulk charge at the window and jump out. Gwen entered the room in shock. The Hulk went flying through the air and disappeared. Thor was no where to be seen. The Valkyrie was there though. She took one of their bottles and took a large swig. She turned and made to leave, completely ignoring Gwen.

Gwen followed her. "Hey! Valkyrie thing! Care to explain why he just jumped out of the window?" She shouted after her. The Valkyrie turned around and held up the device she used to shock her and Thor before. Gwen reacted instinctively, and summoned the device to her hands. The Valkyrie seemed shocked. Gwen smirked. "Next time, don't warn your enemy. I thought you were clever. So, you mind telling me where they are?"

"Not really." The Valkyrie called over her shoulder as she walked away.

Gwen muttered every foul name she knew in every language she knew at the Valkyrie. "So I'm guessing he didn't convince you." Gwen stated, still following her.

"Not really." Valkyrie said again.

"I told him he wouldn't be able to." Gwen said, sounding smug. "Loki said that all the Valkyrie's died trying to protect Asgard before. Well all except you." She nodded at her. "But I knew you wouldn't come. Because no matter what you were before or what your duty was, all you are now is a drunk trash hunter, always looking for her next bottle to drain." Gwen told her. She walked a bit faster to pass her. "Have fun with that." She said before passing her and walking away.

Gwen wandered aimlessly down the halls, still unsure of where to go. She could go to the quinjet, but she wasn't sure she wanted to. If she did, she would need to bring Loki with her, and she wasn't sure how to convince him. Especially after she had just gotten mad at him. As she brooded, she felt someone tap her shoulder. She grabbed the hand and whipped around drew back one arm. It was just some waiter guy. He looked frightened. Gwen sighed. Natasha's training had really worked. Almost too well.

"I'm sorry, but the Grandmaster requests your presence." He said, his voice quavering.

Gwen nodded. "Of course. I'll be right there. Sorry about the whole... Thing." She waved her hand. The man merely nodded and gestured for her to follow. Gwen did. He lead her up to the penthouse of the building, to the Grandmaster's sort of throne room. The one girl who hated the Valkyrie was there, standing next to him, holding the melting stick.

"Hey. Good. You're here." The Grandmaster said. "Listen, my grand champion has disappeared. You haven't seen him? Your buddy, the Lord of Thunder is gone as well. Any ideas?" He sounded unconcerned but Gwen knew he was. He needed the Hulk to maintain control of Sakaar.

Gwen shook her head convincingly. "No idea."

"Ah. Well maybe our other friend has some ideas. Or my collector." The Grandmaster said. It was at that moment that Loki and the Valkyrie walked in, lead by several guards. Gwen stood on the Grandmaster's side as they were lead in here. "So... You and your brother arrive here and now, my champion goes missing-"

"Grandmaster, if you will allow me-" Loki began.

"Whoa, hey. Don't interrupt me." The Grandmaster said. The other woman handed him the melting stick. "What? No. He interrupted me. That's not a melting offense. Just put it away." The Grandmaster protested. "Anyways, as I was saying, I'm going to need them back."

"Grandmaster, if you will give me time, I can have them both back in six hours." Loki assured him.

"I could do it in two." Valkyrie said.

Loki gave a soft chuckle before turning back to the Grandmaster. "I could do it in one."

"I could do it in a half hour." Gwen spoke up from his side. "Or I could, if I had my old clothes and my weapon." She negotiated.

"Right. I don't care about your stories. Adopted, or coworkers or whatever it is. But I'm enjoying this little contest you three have got going. So, get them back." The Grandmaster said. "And I have your stuff here." The Grandmaster snapped his fingers and someone ran off. Loki and the Valkyrie stood there waiting. "What are you waiting for? Get going." The Grandmaster shooed them away. They both walked off in the same direction. Gwen stood, waiting for her things. The man that had ran off ran back in and breathlessly handed her her things.

"Thank you." Gwen told the Grandmaster. She looked at her black shirt with black skinny jeans and black hightops. Her sword, her relic, was there as well. There was also a bonus. Silver armor for her top. She looked up at the Grandmaster.

He shrugged. "Thought you could use some extra protection. Plus, it will allow you to keep the cape, which suits you." He said and then he and his entourage walked away. Gwen magicked the clothing onto herself, letting the dress fall. The cape draped over her shoulders. With her black colors and the neon yellow cape and sword, she looked like a different version of the Scorpion. All she needed was her sunglasses and she would be complete. She slung the sword so the strap crossed her chest and jogged in the direction Loki and the Valkyrie went.

When she made it through the door, Loki was touching the forehead of the Valkyrie, like he had done when he had wanted to read Gwen's mind. Gwen was wondering why Loki would want to read the Valkyrie's mind but was distracted by the large feeling of jealousy that had erupted in her chest. She felt it like the fire she felt when she had those drinks. But more powerful. She had a sudden urge to disintegrate the Valkyrie, but unfortunately, she did not have her infinity stone. Instead, she unsheathed her weapon and made an angry move towards the two.

Without warning, the Valkyrie knocked out Loki and spun around to knock out Gwen. Gwen didn't see that coming and she did nothing to defend herself. She fell to her knees and dropped her sword. The Valkyrie smirked at her. "You said don't warn you, right?" Before she smacked her weapon over her head and Gwen saw nothing but darkness.

A*A*A

Gwen felt her neck pop as she snapped it up. She groaned in pain and tried to reach her hand up to rub it, but she couldn't. Her arms were tied down by gold chains. Her legs were chained to a chair. She groaned again, this time in frustration. "Oh good. You're awake. Are you OK? And the...baby?" A voice said. She turned to her left and saw Loki.

"Yup." Gwen mumbled. Her feelings of jealousy and anger were still there. "Great. Just great." Gwen snapped. She looked into Loki's eyes. "You. What the h*** were you doing, reading her mind?" Her tone was full of all the jealousy and anger she felt, though she hoped that Loki couldn't hear it. But of course, he did. His eyebrows raised and he smiled faintly.

"Was that jealousy, darling?" He questioned teasingly. Gwen scowled loudly and glared at him.

"No." She lied through her teeth. Loki merely smirked at her in reply. "Shut up." She grumbled. Loki's smirk didn't disappear. She felt more anger bubble up. "So what if I was? I know you're jealous of Steve." She defended herself.

"Oh, you had to bring that up, didn't you?" Loki said, anger in his own voice now. Then they were both shouting. Each was trying to be louder than the other as they said angry things.

"This is all your fault-"

"If you weren't so determined to go back-"

"That's your home, you can't just abandon it-"

"Its done for as it is-"

"No, you just want a place to have power-"

"You and your precious Avengers aren't any better-"

"Don't drag them into this-"

"You joined the people who seperated us-"

"YOU DUMPED ME!" Gwen shouted over Loki. Loki fell silent. He had suspected that, while she had forgiven him, she hadn't forgotten it. Gwen felt herself choke. "You dumped me and I was alone. I went mad." Gwen was unsure why this was coming out now. "Did you really think, that if I was given the choice between staying with the Avengers or going back to you, that I wouldn't choose you?" She asked.

"Yes." Loki suddenly said. Gwen looked at him in surprise. "I'm a monster, Gwen. The monster that parents on Asgard- and now maybe even Midgard- tell their children about. You're not. You were meant for a life with heroes. Fighting monsters like me. So yes, I thought that, as much as I wanted you back, you belonged with them and that you would choose them over me."

"Well that was stupid of you." Gwen said, at an attempt at lightness. Loki gave a breathy chuckle. "I wouldn't choose them. I would choose you. Maybe that makes me selfish or a bad person, but I don't care. And you're not a monster." Then she shook her head and sighed. "I don't want us to fight. Truce?" She asked. "I would offer you my hand but, its tied at the moment." Loki chuckled again.

"I accept your truce." Loki said. He opened his mouth to continue, but they were interrupted by the door opening. It was Thor, the Valkyrie and- to Gwen's shock- Bruce Banner as Bruce Banner and not the Hulk. "Surprise." Loki said sarcastically and Gwen laughed lightly.

Thor picked up a nearby bottle and threw it near the two's heads. Loki didn't look shocked but Gwen was. "What the h*** man?" She asked.

"Just making sure." Thor said.

"Trouble in paradise?" The Valkyrie teased the two. Apparently they had been louder than they had thought.

"You shut your mouth." Gwen told the Valkyrie casually. "Thor, get me out of these chains." She commanded. Thor obliged and ripped off the chains on her legs and arms, and pointedly ignored Loki. He walked away and over to go talk to the Valkyrie. Gwen shook out her arms and legs and moved around her chair to try and undo the chains around Loki, mumbling under her breath.

Bruce looked at Loki in a mix of surprise and confusion. Perhaps a bit of nervousness was in there. "Hello Bruce." Loki greeted, his voice low.

"So, you're still alive huh?" Bruce asked. "Where are you at these days?"

"It varies from time to time." Loki said, his tone threatening. Gwen stopped fumbling with the locks and reached a hand up to smack Loki upside the head. "Ow! What?" He asked.

"Play nice." She told him. Then she caught Bruce staring at her. "Don't mind him. He's just being rude. He's not going to do anything." Bruce nodded, but still stared at her as she messed with the lock. "Oh right! Sorry. Should probably introduce myself. I'm Gwen. I'm a new Avenger and I'm here helping Thor."

"Oh! You're the one Thor said to ask about Nat. Have you seen her? How is she?" Bruce asked.

Gwen stammered, unsure what to say. She had seen Natasha on her last night in T'Challa's palace. She too was on the run since she had helped Steve and Bucky escape. "She's fine, last I saw her. Something big happened, back home. Everyone is fine, but I'll tell you about it later." She explained. "It'll take a while." Then she sighed. "I can't get this d*** chain to loosen up!" She cursed in frustration.

"Well hurry up. My arms are getting stiff." Loki complained. Gwen could tell he was joking and she smiled.

"Oh, my apologies your worship." She told him. "Anything I can do to help?"

"There are a few things, actually." Loki muttered. Gwen smacked him again. "You know you love me, darling." Loki said.

"Yeah, yeah." Gwen said, failing at concealing her smile.

"Oh, you're kidding. Right?" Bruce asked, sounding somewhat disgusted.

"Sorry?"

"You two- you're not..." Bruce trailed off.

"Yes. We are. Problem?" Loki asked. Bruce looked to Gwen for confirmation and she nodded. Bruce groaned and walked away. Gwen smiled. Maybe the Avengers didn't need to accept Loki. Maybe she would just find a way to make it all work on its own.


	22. Chapter 22

**a/n: Hello again! So yeah, the baby just kinda popped into my head, but it comes into play in this chapter, so it was kinda important. I'll explain it more later, and some in this chapter. If you guys have any baby name ideas, please feel free to tell me! I'm trying to come up with some and they don't sound right. Please enjoy this chapter! SPOILERS FOR THOR RAGNAROK! (I don't own Marvel)**

 **Rosalix Archangel- Thank you for your reviews! You're amazing! I'm glad you like it and I hope you'll like what I did for the escape this chapter. Hope your having a nice holiday as well! Also, you can read more above about the whole baby idea thing. Hope you enjoy this chapter!**

 **C.C. Capitols- No worries! I totally get taking a break. I needed one as well. Thanks for the clarification, BTW. And yeah, the whole baby thing is confusing (see my author's note) but I will explain it better later. Glad you like it and thank you for reviewing! Also, I'm glad you will be updating your story soon.**

Gwen was still fumbling with the locks on Loki's chain. It seemed to have escaped her mind that she could use magic to free him. Thor, Valkyrie, and Bruce were in the corner discussing escape plans. Gwen and Loki stayed silent, to listen to what they were saying.

"We're surrounded by doorways. We just fly through one." Thor said.

"Yeah but which one?" Valkyrie asked. Apparently she had joined the team, surprising Gwen. And ticking her off a bit. OK, maybe a bit more than a bit. OK, a lot more.

Thor moved to the window. He pointed at the large hole surrounded by black clouds and filled with ominous looking read light. "That one."

The Valkyrie scoffed. "The Devil's Anus?" Gwen made an unattractive snorting noise mixed with a laugh.

Thor nodded, seeming to regret this decision. "Yup. But to be fair, I had no idea it was called that when I choose it." He defended himself.

"There's no way we could get through that." Valkyrie argued. "And to start, we'll need a ship."

"Where's the quinjet?" Gwen asked Thor. "Is it not working anymore?"

"No." Thor shook his head. Gwen waited for further explanation, but none was forthcoming. Then, Thor nodded towards Bruce. Understanding came and Gwen nodded.

"If I may..." Loki began. The Valkyrie threw the bottle she was drinking at him. Gwen caught it before it could do any damage. She was tempted to throw it back, but instead she threw it over her shoulder and at the wall. "Thank you." Loki said with a nod. "As I was saying, the Grandmaster has any number of ships. All we need to do is borrow one. And fly it out of here. Through the anus." Gwen gave a sharp breath through her nose, holding back a laugh.

"That would work." Gwen said. She turned to look at the Valkyrie. "You know how to fly those ships, correct?" The Valkyrie nodded but Bruce began to protest.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa. Hang on. We're not..." He lowered his voice. "We're not taking him with us, are we?" Gwen rolled her eyes.

"Yeah, I agree." The Valkyrie said.

"Yeah, he literally threatened to kill me just now." Bruce told Thor. Thor nodded fairly.

"Its true. One time, he pretended to be a snake, because he knows I love snakes and I went to go pick it up to admire it, and then he transformed back into himself and he's like 'ahhh its me!' And then he stabbed me. We were eight at the time." Thor turned to glare at Loki. Loki was smiling and chuckling softly, as if remembering a fond memory. Gwen was failing at stifling a smile and faking a cough, which was actually a laugh. Then Thor sighed. "But we can't leave him." He spoke up.

"What? Why?" Both Bruce and Valkyrie whined.

Thor pointed at Gwen. "Because we need her. And I'm guessing she won't go without him."

Gwen nodded. "D*** straight. MC Hammer knows what he's talking about."

"Oh my gosh. She's a mini Tony." Bruce said. "She's got the sarcasm and nicknames and everything." Gwen stiffled another laugh. That was the third time she had been compared to Stark. She didn't see it, but it must've been there. "Don't tell me you're Tony's long lost daughter."

Gwen shook her head. "Nope. Definitely not." She finally got the lock to pop open. "Finally! Curse this d*** lock." She threw the lock across the room. Loki stood and stretched out his joints.

"Are we seriously taking him with us?" Bruce asked. By now, Gwen and Loki had joined them and their conversation.

"I think you'll find that we'll need him." Gwen said. "And that he's changed." She took his hand in her own and squeezed it reassuringly. He squeezed back.

"No more discussion. He's coming." Thor said. He ignored the groans from Bruce and the Valkyrie but nodded when Gwen smiled at him gratefully. "OK. Here's what we'll do. Loki and I will go and get the ship. Gwen and Bruce will wait here for our signal. Valkyrie will set the prisoners down stairs free to cause a distraction. Talk to Korg. He said he would like to lead a revolt against the Grandmaster. When she's done doing that, she'll come and get you two and you'll fly away in her ship till you catch up with us. I'll fly the ship out to you and Valkyrie will take over flying it and we'll escape through the Devil's Anus."

Gwen shook her head. "I'm coming with you." She argued. She was not leaving Loki. They had been seperated too many times for her taste. She didn't want to do it again. If something went wrong... Well, she wanted to be with him.

"Gwen, please. Just trust me." Thor said. He had suspected some sort of argument from her and Loki. Loki was remaining suspiciously quiet. "I need you here. I'm trusting you to help me." He leaned closer to her. "I just want to talk to him alone for a while. I've trusted you. Now trust me in return." Gwen sighed heavily, but nodded.

"Fine." Thor nodded gratefully. Gwen turned to Loki. He reached a hand up to her cheek and touched it. "I love you. I'll see you soon?" She said. Loki leaned down and kissed her. He placed his other hand on her stomach and rubbed it gently. A reminder that she was pregnant. They ignored the groans from the others in the room.

"For sure. You know that I would do anything to protect you, right?" Loki said when they broke apart. Gwen nodded, unsure why he was saying that. His hand lingered on her stomach before Thor cleared his throat. He reluctantly removed his hand, gave her one more quick kiss, whispered in her ear, "I love you, no matter what." And then he and Thor left. Valkyrie left after them.

Gwen sat down on the chair she had been tied to moments ago. Bruce was sitting in the other chair. "So, you and him, huh?" Bruce asked.

"Yes." Gwen said. "I know." She said when he gave her the look every one of the Avengers had given her when they asked if she really loved Loki.

"How did that happen?" He asked as casually as he could. Gwen got the feeling he was just an awkward human being in general. Kind and brilliant, but awkward.

"Its a long story." Gwen said.

"We've got time." Bruce pointed out.

Gwen sighed, unsure how to explain it. "Well, it started a couple months ago. I was helping Thor with something, when I was... Kidnapped. By Loki. I had this thing called an infinity stone. Its basically a magic rock that can cause mass destruction. I think you're familiar with the Tesseract?" Bruce nodded. "Well that's one of them. Anyway, Loki was being used by someone else to get these stones for this big bad guy. I'm not excusing what he did, but just so you know, he was manipulated. Back to the story, Loki wanted to give my infinity stone to the guy, but found out that for some reason, only I can work it. So he kept me as well. I'm not really sure how it happened. All I know is that, as I got to know him, I started to fall in love. Until, one day, he decided to let me go. Before I left, I accidentally told him I loved him. I hadn't meant to, it just slipped out. Turns out, he loved me as well, and we have been together since. Well, not exactly." She sighed again. "That's a whole other story."

Bruce nodded slowly when she finished. Gwen sighed. He probably thought she was a psycho. Which, maybe she was. But if falling in love with a psychopath made her a psychopath, then she gladly accepted that. "And Natasha?" He broke the silence. "How is she? And the others?"

Gwen ran her hand through her hair. "Its complicated." She said again with a breathy laugh. "But, I'll tell you. There was this whole thing between the Avengers and the government. The government wants us to slow down and ask for their permission before we save lives." Gwen rolled her eyes. "Anyway, Steve, Clint, Wanda, Sam and I all thought that was bulls*** and Tony, Rhodes, Vision, Natasha, and a few others agreed with the government. It turned into this whole big debate and then Steve's old pal Bucky showed up and everyone thought he was a terrorist even though he was set up. Then there was this big fight in an airport and Steve and Bucky got away, while the rest of us were sent to jail. Later, Steve broke us out. Oh yeah, and Nat turned to our side at the last second. So she was on the run. But then this guy did the huge favor of giving us a place to hide until this all blows over. So she's there now. In Wakanda, Africa." Bruce was silent the whole time she spoke. When she finished, he was shocked, to say the very least.

"And the Avengers... They've been..." He trailed off, unsure whether or not he really wanted to know.

"They're... Disbanded. For the time being. I'm sure that with time, things will blow over. Soon, the world will need all the Avengers. And Steve will come back." Gwen assured him. "I'm sorry. Natasha really misses you, by the way. I can tell by the way she talks about you. She'll be glad to see you home."

"Yeah. If we ever get home." Bruce muttered.

"Don't think like that. We've got this." Gwen said lightly. She punched his shoulder in a friendly sort of way. The way she would've done with Steve. He picked up a bottle of amber liquid, shrugged and took a sip. Then he held it out to her.

"We're going to be here a while. Might as well have drinks." He said. Gwen lifted the bottle up to her mouth, but remembered that she was pregnant. She shouldn't be drinking. She handed the bottle back to Bruce. Bruce eyed her suspiciously. "Something wrong?"

"I just don't like alcohol." She wasn't ready to tell the others that she was pregnant.

Bruce eyed the girl carefully, his scientist's brain at work. "You're pregnant, aren't you?" He whispered to her. Gwen nearly jumped out of her seat. How did he know? Was she that obvious?

"How did you..." There was no point in denying it. Her jump gave away too much.

Bruce shrugged. "I'm a scientist. I observe things. I saw the way Loki touched your stomach. And now you're avoiding alcohol. It was a bit of a guess, which you just confirmed." Bruce watched her face go through a mix of emotions. She settled on nervous.

"Please don't tell anyone. Only you and Loki know. I'm not sure how to tell the others yet. Promise me you won't tell?" Gwen asked.

"I won't say anything." Bruce said. Gwen sighed out a quiet thank you. "How long have you known? You said you and Loki have only known each other for a few months at most, but you were only together for about a month. Most women don't find out until about a month or two in. He didn't..." Bruce didn't finish, not wanting it to be true.

Gwen shook her head, catching Bruce's meaning. "No. Never. And I mean never. We never... You know. Anyway, we think he was conceived by magic. We're not sure how. All I know is that I'm pregnant and I have no idea how." Gwen paused. "Well, I guess that's not entirely true. You ever see Star Wars? You know how Anakin never had a father, he was just created by the force? I think that's how it happened. I had this weird vision where I saw my child and its like this vision somehow made him real. Like, I wanted him to be real, so I unwittingly created him and now he's real. Like I said, its complicated. I think, once we return to earth and Asgard, we'll be able to look into it more."

"Are you sure you should be... I don't know. Exerting yourself like this?" Bruce asked.

Gwen brushed away his concerns. "I'll be fine." Then she had a sudden thought. Loki had been talking about protecting her. And he had been rubbing her stomach, where their baby was growing. She had been confused as to why he was bringing that up, but now it made sense. Bruce had just been more up front about it. Loki was worried about her. And the baby. And he wanted to protect them both. Gwen felt a shiver and she desperately hoped Loki wouldn't do anything stupid.

A*A*A (Earlier)

Thor sat with the guns of the two guards he and Loki had taken out. Loki was working on getting the door open. He was going through different codes at the moment. "So. Can we talk now?" Thor asked his brother.

Loki pressed a few more buttons and the door opened. "I don't think we should, no." He said. They both picked up guns and carried them through. They shot down a few more guards and turned the corner to a different hall.

"I think mother would want us to." Thor said. He knew that Loki and Frigga were close, despite the strain in the relationship between Odin and Loki. He also knew that he was still guilty about Frigga's death. Even though he would never admit it.

"Because us talking has always gone so well." Loki retorted sarcastically. They turned another corner and came across a rather large group of guards.

"Maybe not. But that's not the point." Thor said. He lifted the gun. "Hello." He called cheerily to the guards.

"Hi." Loki said. The guards charged them. Loki and Thor shot their weapons, tasing them all. They fell to the ground. There were more guards to take their place. They dropped the large guns and used their own fists to start taking them out. Loki took the right and Thor took the left. "Its not that we shouldn't talk. Its that we have nothing to talk about." Loki called out to Thor as he took out a guard with a hard punch to the face.

"That's an understatement." Thor replied. They made it around the circle and to the elevator. The elevator would take them up to the Grandmaster's ship.

"I don't know why you're so interested in speaking now. You've never cared before." Loki said to Thor.

Thor turned to his brother. He needed to tell him something. Something Loki needed to know. "Loki, I thought the world of you. But at the end of the day, you're you and I'm me. I don't know. Maybe there is still good in you. Actually, I know its there. I see it when you're with her. You're lucky to have found her, brother."

"I know." Loki said quietly. That's why he had to do this. He had to keep her safe. Had to keep his unborn child safe. Hela was not taking either of them away from him.

"But, let's be honest. Our paths diverged a long time ago." Thor finished.

Loki pursed his lips and nodded. "Yeah. Its probably for the best if we never see each other again."

"And that's what you always wanted." Thor said with a smile. He patted Loki once on the back. Loki nodded again, but had no reply. Thor took a deep breath, then had an idea. "Hey, let's do get help."

"What?" Loki said.

"Let's do get help." Thor repeated.

"No."

"Come on, you love it."

"I hate it."

"Its great. It works every time."

"Its humiliating."

"Do you have a better plan?" Thor asked.

"No." Loki said.

"We're doing it." Thor said with a finality. Stubborn as ever Loki crossed his arms and refused.

"We are not doing get help." Unfortunately for Loki, Thor was just as stubborn as his brother. He insisted that they do get help. He grabbed Loki's arm and draped it over his shoulder as the elevator neared the top floor. They were ready when the door opened.

"Get help!" Thor shouted. "Get help! Please, its my brother. He's dying. Help him!" And with that he launched Loki into the group of guards. They all fell down and stayed down. Loki stood up, groaning and adjusted his collar. Thor laughed. "Classic."

"Still hate it. Its humiliating." Loki declared.

"Not for me its not." Thor said. Then he pointed to the ship. "There it is." They started to walk over to it. Loki sent an illusion with Thor and went over to the controls himself. He didnt want to do this. But he couldnt let Gwen near Hela. If something happened to her or their child... He would never forgive himself. He pressed a few buttons and an alarm went off. Thor sighed. "Loki."

He turned to face his brother. "I know I've betrayed you many times before but this time its really nothing personal. I just need to do this. You'd understand if you knew." Loki said.

"What would Gwen say?" Thor said slowly. "Don't do this to her."

"You don't understand. I'm doing this for her." Loki said. "She'll understand too. Once I convince her that this is for the best."

Thor sighed. But not without a smile. He pulled out the device that the Valkyrie had used to shock him. He pressed the button and Loki fell down, wiggling around in pain as the device shocked him. "I didn't want to have to do this." Thor said regretfully. He moved over to his brother's side. "You never learn, do you? You're becoming too predictable, brother." He tossed the device several yards away. "Have fun with the Grandmaster." Thor said. He moved over to the ship and hopped in to fly away.

As Loki watched the ship fly away, he tried to no avail to move towards the device. But it was no use. He felt as if Thor's hammer were placed on his chest again. How could he protect her like this?

A*A*A

Gwen was going through different attacks and defenses with her sword to pass the time. If it hit the wall, sparks of magic would fly. She took a deep breath and started to go faster, spinning and cutting. She ignored the fact that Bruce was watching her carefully. Then, the Valkyrie came running in. "Come on. We need to get out of here. Quickly." Bruce stood up and followed her out of the room. Gwen sheathed her sword and jogged after the two. Valkyrie lead them down a few flights of stairs and out to a little landing pad. Her ship was waiting there for them. Valkyrie jumped in the pilots seat and started it up. Bruce sat in the only other seat next to her. Gwen stood behind them, clinging to the edge of their chairs. "Here we go." Valkyrie said and they took off.

They flew over the city. In the streets below, the people weren't cheering for the Hulk anymore. Instead, there were several riots going on. They were going to over throw the Grandmaster. Gwen was curious to see how he'd handle that. But she never would. Because once they met up with Thor and Loki, they were never coming back.

Unfortunately, the Grandmaster still had some associates on his side. They had caught them and were now flying around them. The Valkyrie swore and reached over to press a few buttons. Then, the guns on her ship were activated. But she couldn't shoot and fly at the same time. Gwen reached over and grabbed the cuffs she had used earlier. "Here." She moved over to the open door.

"Do you know how to shoot those?" Valkyrie shouted back to her. Gwen pressed a button on the side of the cuffs and they activated. They followed her movements.

"Can't be that much different from shooting a gun. Same basic principles." She shouted back. She aimed for the first ship and shot it down. She felt a rush of adrenaline shoot through her. She aimed at the next one and shot that one. She shot a few more ships down when Thor and Loki showed up.

The Valkyrie called down to their ship. "Open the cargo bay. We'll jump in." She instructed them. They did so. "Don't think. Just jump." She said. Gwen took off the cuffs and gave them back to her. Then she got a running start and leaped out of the ship. She felt the wind blow past her as she landed and rolled into Thor's ship. She groaned and sat up. Panic shot through her and she touched her stomach. She could still feel life and she started to laugh in relief. Thor turned to look at her.

"Are you alright?" He asked. Gwen nodded, her laughing fading. Bruce had just landed next to her feet. She offered him her hand and pulled him up. He mumbled his thanks. They approached Thor's seat. Gwen's blood ran cold. Her heart rate picked up. Where she had assumed Loki had been sitting was empty space. She forced her self to stay calm as her fists clenched and unclenched.

"Thor. Where is he?" She asked as calmly as she could. Thor was pointedly avoiding her gaze. He watched as the Valkyrie left her destroyed ship and leaped onto enemy ships. Thor told Bruce to take the wheel. He left his seat and went to the door. Both Gwen and Bruce protested. Gwen marched over to him and grabbed his arm sharply. Thor sighed. "Thor! Where is he?" She said firmly.

Thor sighed again. "He betrayed me Gwen. I left him behind." Gwen rubbed her palms into her forehead.

"Fine. Just tell me where he is." She thought he might do something stupid like that. She was half cursing him in her mind. Thor was watching her with wide eyes.

"You're going back? He betrayed me and you. What will I tell your father? Don't go. We need you." Thor said. Gwen pinched the bridge of her nose and sighed.

"Thor, I honestly don't give a d*** right now. Tell me where he is." She demanded. Thor stayed silent, watching the girl closely. "Fine. I'll find him myself." She snapped. She made to jump out of the ship. She had it planned out. She would make a platform for herself and she would head to level ground. Then she'd keep going from there.

"Wait." Thor said. Gwen stopped, but didn't turn around. "We won't wait for you, Gwen." He told her slowly. Gwen nodded.

"I can't leave him." She said. She felt small tears form behind her eyes. She blinked to clear them.

"He's in the top floor hangar. He's paralyzed on the ground." Thor said. "Be careful."

Gwen smiled slightly and turned around. She gave a small jerk of her head. "I'm always careful." Before she jumped out of the ship. She turned in midair to avoid a ship. Then she conjured the platform. It sailed quickly but smoothly to the ground. When she was close enough, she jumped down and sprinted towards the big building. She nearly tripped several times and passed several riots on her way. But she kept her head down and she was ignored. When she got close to the building, she paused. She bent over, her hands on her knees, panting heavily. Once she'd caught her breath, she walked into the building as quietly as she could. There were several riots going on inside as well. She saw the guy, Korg, leading one of the rebellions. She smiled slightly and looked around for an elevator. She spotted the doors to one in the distance. There were several guards in between her and the doors. She pulled her cape up around her head like a hijab and kept her head down. They ignored her and she walked a bit faster, ripping the cape off of her head.

When she made it to the doors, she saw two guards she hadn't seen before. And now, they had seen her. "Oh s***." She breathed. "OK. I'm still on the Grandmaster's side. They don't know yet. Everything is fine." She whispered to herself. She walked over to them, forcing a smile onto her face. When she got close enough, she gave them a salute. "Carry on gentlemen." She said cheerily as she made her way to the door. They crossed their long spears over the door.

"We can't allow you in there miss." Guard number one said. Gwen swore but smiled on the outside.

"Oh, but the Grandmaster sent me. He gave me his permission." She lied easily.

"He did? He gave us no such message. Hang on one moment." Guard number two pulled out a phone sort of thing. Before he could make the call, Gwen unsheathed her sword in a flash and sliced the man across the chest. He cried out in pain and dropped to the floor. Guard number one charged her with a shout. Gwen reacted quickly, conjuring several long shards of magic glass. They shot at him and pinned him to the wall. He groaned and blood dripped from his wounds. Gwen stepped forward and pressed the buttons. When the doors opened she stepped in. Before they could close, Gwen gave the two guards a cheery wave as they were not yet dead.

The elevator slowly made its way to the top. Gwen willed it to go faster. When it reached the top, she jogged out. She glanced around the room, but saw no sign of Loki. She started to think that maybe he had left when she remembered Thor said he was paralyzed and on the ground. She scanned closer to the ground and saw him a few yards away, behind a control panel. She ran to his side. "Loki! Are you alright?" Gwen felt stupid for asking. Of course he wasn't alright. Loki couldn't answer though. He just writhed on the ground in pain. "Oh right! The controller. Where is it?" Loki looked up above his head. Gwen stood up and jogged over in that area. She scanned the ground for it and found it. She grabbed it quickly, almost dropping it. "Got it!" She said and she pressed the button. She heard Loki groan in relief. She turned and saw him stand up, adjusting his collar. Gwen stood up as well. She smiled slightly, watching him.

"I know. I'm sorry." Loki said to her, shrugging his shoulders. "I just-" Gwen had ran over to him by now. She leapt at him, wrapping her arms tightly around him.

"Oh shut up." She said before her mouth collided with his. Loki wrapped one arm underneath her legs to keep her up and the other went to her hair. She sighed as she felt herself melt into him. Loki's hand had moved to her neck. He pulled out her necklace and broke away. He smiled when he saw the ring.

"You kept it." He said.

"Of course I kept it." She said breathlessly.

"Do you mind if I see it?" Loki asked. Gwen nodded and pulled on the chain. It popped off her neck and Loki held it. He pulled the chain out of the ring. Then he knelt down. "Now's as good a time as any. Guinevere Strange, I love you. And I want to spend what little time we have left together, married. Will you marry me?" Gwen smiled, tears coming again. But she yet again cleared them.

"Yes." She said with a bright smile. Loki slipped the ring on her finger and pulled her in for another kiss. She yet again leapt at him. He wasn't prepared and he stumbled and fell. Gwen fell with him, but she didn't break away. Loki rolled over though, so he was on top. Gwen didn't mind. They stayed this way for what felt like hours. Then there was a cough above them. Both of them had been so caught up they hadn't been aware of their surroundings. Their foreheads were pressed together, both breathing heavily.

"Hey man." Gwen recognized the voice of Korg. She almost burst out laughing. But at the same time, she didn't want the moment to end. She could feel Loki tense above her. She opened her eyes and saw his were open too. He made a move but Gwen grabbed his hand.

"I'll take care of it." She whispered. Loki nodded and stood up. He held out his hand to Gwen and she stood up. "Hello. Korg, right?" She asked.

Korg nodded. "Yeah. I'm Korg. This is Miek. We're going to get on that ship and fly out of here. You wanna come with?" He had a group of contenders with him. Gwen looked at Loki and gave a small nod. They should go with them.

Loki nodded at her in return. "Well, it does seem you're in desperate need of leadership." Gwen chuckled under her breath but nodded. "Where are we going?" He asked.

"Asgard." Gwen said promptly. Loki turned to her. His hand yet again moved to her stomach.

"Are you sure?" He asked her quietly. Gwen looked at him and nodded. She was determined to go.

"I know why you did what you did. And I love you for it. But Thor needs our help. I'll be fine. And so will he." Gwen told him. "Besides, you won't let anything happen to either of us so I'm not too worried." Loki laughed and nodded. Finally, he conceded.

"Asgard it is." He and Gwen lead the group onto the ship. Loki sat in the pilot's seat and Gwen took the copilot's seat. Loki flipped a few switches and then they were off. Thor and Bruce and the Valkyrie cleared the way for them. There were no ships to block their way as they flew towards the Devil's Anus. The ride got a bit bumpy, but other than that, they were all fine. Loki reached his hand out to Gwen's. Then he looked in her eyes. She could see the happiness in there. But there was also some fear. "Together?" He asked.

Gwen felt herself smile. She moved her hand to the wheel with his. They would be together till the very end. No Goddess of Death was going to stop that. "Together."


	23. Chapter 23

**a/n: Sorry for the wait. So this chapter will be the last one till Infinity War comes out. I know, I'm sorry. I don't want to wait that long either, but I kind of have to. If you want, you can read my other stories that I will eventually publish. One is an idea for a Loki stand alone movie with a slight Loki/character from the Marvel comic books. One will be a Steve/OC with Loki and Thor involved of course. I don't know if you can tell, but Loki is my favorite character. Please enjoy! SPOILERS FOR THOR RAGNAROK! (I don't own Marvel)**

 **TheCrazyOne87- You are a life saver! Thank you so much! Hope you're liking it!**

 **Rosalix Archangel- Thank you for continuing to review! You're the best! I also loved the 'get help' scene and I couldn't resist including it. Hope you like this chapter!**

 **C.C. Capitols- Glad you like it! Please enjoy this chapter!**

Gwen hadn't realized she had blacked out. All she knew is that she was waking up and everyone else in the ship was asleep. She sat up straight and looked over at Loki. He was fast asleep in his chair. Same with Korg and the others. She unbuckled her seat belt and started to shake Loki. "Wake up." He didn't. She started to panic. She shook him harder. "Wake up! Wake up!" He stayed asleep. She resorted to slapping him. That's what got him. He shot awake with a cry of pain.

"What?" Was all he asked, sounding slightly annoyed. He rubbed his cheek that she had slapped. It was still red.

Gwen sighed in happy relief. "You're alive." She pressed her mouth to his.

Loki nodded when she broke away. "That's better." She gave a small chuckle. He unbuckled his own seat and looked out the window. It was dark outside and they were surrounded by clouds. "Where are we? How long have we been out?" He questioned.

"We can't have been out longer than a few hours." Gwen reasoned. "I don't feel like I do after I wake up from a night's sleep. Maybe a light nap. But I have no idea where we are."

"Well, let's find out." Loki took the wheel and they started to move forward. Gwen got out of her seat and woke up the others. Luckily, they were easier to wake up. The clouds got lighter until it was just light fog. They could see the Bifrost bridge. Gwen could see the Asgardian people were on the bridge, being attacked by some skeletons. Some were fighting them off. Others were crowded in the middle. She could see, in the water, the Hulk was fighting off a large wolf. The Valkyrie was fighting the skeletons. Thor was no where to be seen. "Here's what we'll do. We'll drop these guys off to help fight off the dead. I'll fly in the ship and we'll pick up the others down there and get them to safety. Any questions?" No one had any. Gwen felt herself smile. She had always known there was good in him, but now everyone could see it.

They flew the ship over the bridge. Korg, Meik, and the other escaped contenders leapt out of the ship as they were instructed. Then they flew the ship down to the side of the Bifrost bridge. The fog made it all the more dramatic. Loki pressed a few buttons so it would fly on its own and left the controller. He and Gwen walked out to the door. Gwen pulled a lever to open it and they walked out. Loki changed his appearance so he was now wearing his helmet. Gwen watched him and laughed.

"What?" He asked, a smile of his own appearing.

"Nothing." Gwen said. She took his hand. "You look lovely." He gave her the smallest smirk and lifted their hands up. "What are you doing?" She asked.

"Being dramatic." He muttered to her. Then he turned to the large crowd of Asgardians. "YOUR SAVIOR IS HERE!" He called out to them. Gwen giggled and rolled her eyes at her fiancé.

"You're ridiculous." She told him. Their hands were still raised in the air. The Asgardian people were staring at them now. They were just about to the bridge by now. Loki dropped her hand and drew his knives.

"I know darling." He said to her. The ship bumped against the bridge. "Come on. Get on board." Loki told his people. They scrambled for the ship. Gwen saw several young children call out to their parents. She felt her heart go out to them, but pulled it back. Now wasn't the time. They needed to defeat Hela now. She unsheathed her sword. Loki grabbed her face in his hands and kissed her hard. It was quick, but full of passion and love. "Be safe." He instructed.

"I always am. You be careful too." Gwen said back. Then she smirked. "I bet I can get more than you." She said.

"Is that right darling?" Loki questioned with his own smirk. Then he threw his dagger into the chest of one skeleton. It fell to the ground in a heap. "That's one for me." He said. Then he took off to go grab his knife.

"Its on, your worship." She shouted to him. She swung her sword left and right at the army of dead Asgardian soldiers. She ducked as one soldier swung its weapon at her head. Then she stabbed it in the area where its stomach would be if it had any organs. It died and Gwen yanked her sword out. "Three!" She shouted to Loki. Loki turned to her and slashed another soldier.

"Five!" He replied. "Keep up!" He smirked before taking out another skeleton.

"You know, I was thinking," Gwen said, stabbing another dead one, "when we're finished here, we should retire." She conjured a shield to block a blow from a soldier's ax.

"You're twenty years old, darling." Was Loki's reply. "Seven." He added as a side note.

"And your point is?" Gwen shouted. "Seven. Someone needs to watch over him." She slashed at another soldier.

"Eight. I suppose your right." Loki said, his back to her. He was slowly making his way over to her. "But I'm not sure that's really what you want."

Gwen smiled. He knew her too well. She didn't want to stop being an Avenger. She wanted to continue with hero work. It was just about all she knew. She had no idea how to be a mother. She hadn't even wanted to be a mother until recently. But, being an Avenger and a parent wasn't going to work out. That's when she had a thought, as she was slicing through skeletons (she was up to thirteen now). Clint had done it. He had a wife and three children of his own. If he could do it, then so could she. Maybe she could do it part time. Mother by day, Avenger by night, that sort of thing. She was smiling at the thought, but she wasn't paying enough attention to the battle going on around her. One skeleton swiped his sword at her stomach. She gasped and ran a hand over it.

Loki had made his way to her by now. He saw what had happened. A flash of anger shone in his eyes. He took down the soldier with little effort. Then he turned to his future wife. "Are you alright? And the baby?" He ran his hand over her stomach. He felt the cool metal of the armor the Grandmaster had given her.

Gwen nodded, breathless. "I'm fine. He missed me. Thanks to this armor." She chuckled and ran a hand through her hair. "I never thought I would owe the Grandmaster. I'll need to thank him some day." She heard a scream of a dead one behind her and she swung her sword behind her, taking off its head without looking. Then she smirked. "Seventeen."

"You should get on the ship." Loki told her as he turned around and fought. "It would be much safer."

Gwen scoffed. "If you think I'm going anywhere, you've got another thing coming." She told him, conjuring a few weapons to shoot at the dead army. "We knew this wouldn't be safe. But I'm fine. Stop worrying about me." There was a roar of thunder from above. Gwen looked up and saw swirling dark gray clouds, tingling with lightning. "Worry about your sister. I have a feeling she's about to get blasted back to Helheim." There was a large blast of lightning at the palace in the distance. Gwen watched in shock. That had to be about as destructive as a nuclear bomb. Surely even Hela couldn't survive that.

Thor flew through the air towards them and landed. He was still tingling with lightning. He stood and looked up at them. Then he began to fight off dozens of the dead army. Gwen came out of her stupor and continued to fight the dead. Loki did as well and the two fought back to back.

Thor fought his way to them with the Valkyrie. Gwen hadn't seen her before. She had changed her outfit. She was in full white battle armor with a long blue cape. Gwen wasn't quite sure how she felt about her own cape. It was comfortable, but she felt that it sometimes got in the way. But if Thor and Loki could fight in one, then so could she. Thor and the Valkyrie spoke for a moment, then Thor turned to them. Gwen gasped. Where his eye should've been, there was a socket full of blood. "You're late." Thor told them.

"And you're missing an eye." Loki pointed out the obvious.

"My gosh, Thor." Gwen said. "How the h*** did that happen?"

"My dear sister." Thor replied. "My siblings have a knack for injuring me." He gave a sideways glance at Loki.

"You just threw me into a group of heavily armed people. I'd say we're even." Loki scoffed.

"You stabbed me-" Thor began to say but Gwen headed him off.

"Now's not the time. Thor, is Hela dead?" She asked urgently. Her question was answered by Hela herself landing on the bridge. She made herself a long silver sword. Gwen swore. How could she still be alive? Thor had just struck her with a lightning blast the size of an nuclear bomb. Just how immortal were these Asgardians? Even if Gwen drew all the power from the Dark Dimension that she could, she was certain that she couldn't survive a blast like that.

"Does that answer your question?" The Valkyrie said. Gwen drew her sword in reply. It was the four of them against Hela. The Hulk was a bit busy with the huge wolf. Fenris, Gwen recalled from the myths. Another child of Loki. At least, in the myths. In the myths, Hela was also his daughter so obviously they didn't get everything right. Gwen wasn't sure they could take on Hela.

"Blast her with your lightning." Loki said to Thor.

"I just hit her with the biggest blast in history and it did nothing." Thor retorted.

"Then what do we do?" Valkyrie asked.

Thor thought for a moment. "What if this has never been about stopping Ragnarok? What if this is about starting it?" He turned to look at his brother.

Loki tilted his head. "Rash move, brother." He warned him. Gwen was confused. How were they going to start Ragnarok without any of them dying?

"Its the only one we have." Thor said. "Go." Loki took Gwen in his arms again and kissed her. Then he ran off. Gwen was in a daze for a moment. Then she came to. She saw Loki run off. She started after him, her feet shuffling.

"Thor..." She began. Thor waved her off.

"I understand. Go." He told her. Gwen gave him a grateful smile before turning and sprinting her hardest after him. She was panting and exhausted, but she didn't care. All she wanted to do was catch up to him. She turned a corner and saw the edge of his cape swish past. She sprinted her hardest now, but didn't shout, for fear of attracting the attention of more soldiers. It took all her strength to catch up to his long strides, but she made it.

Loki heard her footsteps behind him. "What are you doing?" He said in shock. He moved closer to her and put his hands on her waist. Then he smirked. "You are extremely stubborn, you know that?"

Gwen nodded and smiled. "Yup!" She popped the p at the end. "You aren't getting rid of me that easily."

"Wouldn't dream of it." Loki said with a smile.

"Now. Let's do the d*** thing Thor wants us to do." Gwen said and they took off running. They headed towards the palace.

"We really need to wash out that mouth of yours darling." Loki said to her as they ran through the front doors. Loki gestured for her to follow and they made their way to a set of stairs.

"Later." Gwen waved him away. She was reminded slightly of Steve. It made her a little sad. But she pushed those feelings aside. She had Loki and Thor and Bruce and... Whatever they decided to name their child. "We should think of some names." Gwen brought it up while she was thinking about it.

"You want to name him now?" Loki asked. He realized she was falling behind as they ran down the stairs. He went back up and grabbed her hand so they could run together. Gwen was still pants ng, but she made an effort to keep up with him.

"Well, maybe not now. Just later." Gwen said. They jogged down a long dark hall. Loki grabbed the weird helmet looking thing that Thor had had before, when they first came to Asgard. As they continued down their way, Loki stopped abrubtly. Gwen felt a tug on her arm when he stopped. She went back to go see what it was. "Wha-" she began. Then she saw what he was looking at. An infinity stone. Also known as the Tesseract. "Oh, you've got to be kidding me." Gwen groaned.

"If we leave it here, anyone could take it." Loki reasoned. "If we take it, it will be in safe hands." Gwen watched him carefully, digesting his words. She could see his reasoning. And who was she to judge him? She wanted her own infinity stone back. It wasn't so unreasonable that he wanted his back. "Do you want it to end up in the hands of Thanos?" Loki whispered to her. Gwen shook her head immediately.

"No." Then Gwen sighed and rubbed her temples. "Fine. Take it. But we can't let Thor know. He won't be happy if he finds out." Loki reached out and grabbed it. He examined it for a moment. "We need to hurry." Gwen reminded him.

Loki was shaken out of his trance. He put the Tesseract in a hidden pocket of his. "Right. Let's go." He took her by the hand again and they took off running again. Loki lead her a bit further down the hall. When they reached the end, there was a small fire. Loki reached out to touch it. Gwen grabbed his hand before he could. "What?"

"Are you insane? Don't touch that." Gwen told him. Loki gently took his hand out of her grasp. He reached for the fire and stuck his hand in. Gwen gasped. But Loki gave no cry of pain, his skin didn't give any sign of being burnt. His hand did not jerk back reflexively.

"It doesn't burn us." Loki told her. He took his hand out of the fire and grabbed her hand. It was its normal, cold temperature. He gently placed her hand in the fire. She winced, waiting for the pain that was sure to follow, but it didn't. It just felt light and tingly. Gwen waved her hand through it and picked some up. The flames danced across her palm. She chuckled and put it back. Loki took the helmet and placed it in the flames. "With the eternal flame, you are reborn." He said.

Gwen watched in fascination as the helmet began to catch fire. It started to spread everywhere. Then it began to grow. Gwen took a step back, ready to run. Loki stayed fixated in his spot. Gwen tapped his arm and he still didn't move. "Loki, we should go." Loki did not break out of the trance. Gwen shook his arm. "Loki, come on, let's go." Loki had no response. The flames were growing bigger. Gwen shook him harder, shouting now. She even slapped him again, and he did nothing. Gwen refused to leave him. She stood on tiptoe and kissed him harder than she ever had before. Loki slowly came to. "We need to go." She grabbed his hand and this time, she lead him out of danger.

Loki recovered after a few minutes and began to keep up with her. The building was slowly turning to flames behind them. Gwen staggered and fell when a piece of the roof started to come down. Loki shielded her with his body. When the danger was past, Loki yanked Gwen to her feet. She slowly stumbled after him, but she wasn't as fast as him. She tripped over a loose piece of flooring and landed on her face. Loki turned around and attempted to pull her to her feet. Gwen coughed and got on all fours. Her stomach heaved and she threw up. "I'm fine." She coughed out. "Go, I'll catch up."

Loki shook his head. "Absolutely not." He lifted her arm up and around his shoulders. "This is why you should've stayed on the ship." Loki told her as they made their way to the exit. Gwen tried her best to run with him.

"I wasn't going to let you have all the fun." Gwen said with a giggle. She felt her brain go hazy. She couldn't form a clear thought. The smoke and the baby and the exersion it took to be fighting and running here were getting to her.

"No. I suppose you wouldn't." Loki said. Her feet began to stumble so he picked her up completely. Gwen protested weakly.

"Put me down. I can walk by myself, thanks. I'll just slow you down." Gwen argued with him, though it was weak.

"We're actually going faster, now." Loki commented. "And you can't walk by yourself. You can hardly sit up." Gwen smiled, her mind still hazy and dizzy. She thought she was going to black out when she thought of her child. Her child had to live. She came out of her haziness. Gwen wiggled out of Loki's arms and ran, full speed ahead. Loki was shocked, but he sprinted to catch up with her. They were in the streets of Asgard now. Surtur had been fully reborn. He swung his large sword or spear thing- Gwen couldn't tell which. Loki pointed them down a certain path. Gwen nodded and they took off. "You recovered quickly." Loki shouted to her. It was hard to hear him over the screaming if Surtur.

"No one is going to die today. No one." She repeated, placing a gentle hand on her stomach. "He's going to live a full life. One without the dangers of being an Avenger." Gwen wanted a normal life for her child. One where he didn't have to live in fear for his own life and his parent's lives.

"He will." Loki said with a nod. "We will." He corrected himself. "If you really want to retire, then we shall do so. Find a nice place to settle." Loki sounded like the idea made him sick. But if that's what Gwen wanted, then he would do that.

They were almost out of the streets of Asgard now. They could see the bifrost bridge. The ship was still there. Thor, Valkyrie and the Hulk were all getting on board. There was a pile of dead bodies on the bridge. Gwen felt her heart twinge. Loki started to sprint faster. "Gwen, come on. They're about to take off." Gwen nodded and sprinted as hard and as far as her legs would allow. The ship lifted into the air. They were a few yards away. Gwen felt Loki lift her up and throw her onto the ship. She rolled over and held out her hand to him. He jumped hard... But missed. She saw him fall, falling down to the ground.

She screamed at the top of her lungs. Screaming his name. "LOKI!" She felt tears forming in her eyes. Then, she panicked. She stood up and got ready to jump. There was no point in going on without him. She was about to jump when she remembered her son. She couldn't let him die. She was conflicted. She couldn't live without Loki but she couldn't let her child die. She felt more tears form in her eyes and she gasped from the pain. She turned around and saw a figure. She wiped at her eyes, assuming it was Thor. "He's gone." She choked.

"Says who?" Said the man in front of her. Now that she could see clearly, she saw it was Loki. He grinned at her. She gasped in relief. Then she got angry. She punched his arm. He laughed.

"That was not funny! I thought you were really dead." She shouted, then she kissed him. "If you ever do that again, I'll kill you for real." She threatened. Loki grinned and kissed her again.

"I don't think so, darling. We have a wedding to hold." He reminded her.

A*A*A

Gwen smiled as she entered Thor's chamber. She gave a small knock. He looked up, when he saw who it was, he sighed heavily. "Gwen. Are you alright?" Gwen nodded.

"Never better. I haven't felt this alive since... I can't remember when." Gwen told him happily. "Did Loki tell you everything?" She asked.

"He told me that you're to be married. Congratulations." Thor told her. Gwen smiled in thanks. "I also told him that being the King of Asgard, I can ordain the marriage. I was thinking later today. Would that be alright by you?" Thor grinned.

Gwen gasped. "Really? Today?" Thor nodded. "I would like that. Thank you, Thor." It didn't matter that they didn't have the stuff you would normally have at a wedding. They had each other. That would be enough.

"Then that's settled. I don't know how its done on Midgard, so it'll be different from your weddings." Thor told her.

"I don't mind." Gwen assured him. "Did Loki tell you anything else?"

"No. Why?"

Gwen stroked her stomach. Then she smiled. "Thor. You're going to be an uncle." She told him. Thor looked confused. Then, understanding came. His eyes widened.

"You're with child?" He asked. Gwen nodded and laughed. "He didn't tell me that. Congratulations, Gwen. How long..." He trailed off.

"Have I known?" Gwen finished for him. Thor nodded. "About two days. He's special, though. He was created by magic. We're not quite sure how, but to be honest, who cares? I'm just excited to have him."

"I'm happy for both of you." Thor told her. "You should go get ready for tonight."

A*A*A

Gwen stood in front of a mirror, decked out. Her hair was shining and straight down her back. One Asgardian woman, Freydis, had loaned her a dress and offered to do her hair and makeup. Freydis was now straightening her dress. It was a cream colored white, with gold lacing. The sleeves were long and hung past her wrists. The waist had a band of gold around it. It was a beautiful dress. "Prince Loki will be speechless." Freydis said kindly. Freydis was an older woman, who always wanted a daughter of her own, but only had sons. Gwen liked her almost instantly.

"Well, that will be a sight to see, won't it?" Gwen joked. "Prince Loki, speechless." It sounded odd, calling Loki a prince. But he was.

Freydis laughed gleefully. "Yes, yes it will." She said with a twinkle in her eye. "But I think that you might just manage it, looking like this." Gwen smiled at herself in the mirror. She still wasn't pretty. She had acne scars from her youth, she felt that her features looked odd together. But it didn't matter. Loki wasn't marrying her for her looks.

There was a knock on the door. Freydis went to see who it was. It was the Valkyrie. In Norse weddings, brides always had a maid of honor and someone to escort the bride price. There was no bride price in this wedding, because Gwen insisted that her father would want no price for her. But she still needed a maid of honor. Normally, she would choose Nat or Wanda, but as neither were here, the Valkyrie was the next best thing. Gwen didn't hate her nearly as much anymore. In fact, Gwen was starting to consider her as a friend.

"Hello." Gwen said politely. The Valkyrie was wearing a blue dress, though she didn't look happy about it. Gwen said she didn't care what she wore, but Freydis was insistent that they do this the right way. "Thank you for doing this."

"No problem." Valkyrie said with a shrug. "They're all ready out there. Just waiting for you."

Gwen nodded to Freydis and Freydis stopped playing with the hem of her dress. Freydis lifted her veil and threw it over her face. You couldn't see Gwen's face but Gwen could see just fine. Freydis smiled at her. "You're ready."

"Thank you so much Freydis. I'll never forget this." Gwen said in near perfect Asgardian and hugged the older woman.

"It was no trouble dear." Freydis replied in Asgardian. "Now get going," Freydis bowed, "Princess Guinevere." Gwen gave her an odd look. Then she remembered. If she was marrying the prince of Asgard, that would make her a princess. Gwen wanted to throw up at the thought. Being a monarch was the last thing she wanted. She was also to become an Aesir if she married Loki. Aesir meaning a goddess. The thought made her head spin when Thor told her. She was just a human. Just Gwen. In a few hours, she would be Princess Guinevere and the goddess of who knows what? Thor said that would be determined with time.

"None of that, Freydis." Gwen said. "I'm just Gwen, even if I am marrying a prince."

"Yes ma'am." Freydis said with a smile. "Now get going." She gave her a tiny shove towards the door.

Gwen took a deep breath and walked through the door. Valkyrie followed her and lead her to the room where the ceremonies would take place. "Good luck. You're going to need it, with him." Valkyrie said to her. Gwen laughed lightly.

"Thank you. Sorry I was pissy earlier. Turns out you're not half bad." Gwen told her.

"Same to you." Valkyrie told her. "Sorry I shot you. Friends? Well maybe not friends but allies?"

"Allies sounds good." Gwen said with a nod and shook her head. Then they opened the door.

The room inside was decorated with gold. Gold was a sacred color for weddings in Norse tradition. There was a gold chandelier and a large gold banquet table. There was a large feast set for them at the table. Thor, being the new King of Asgard, was sitting at the head, Loki at his right. There was a spot next to Loki for her. Unlike most weddings on earth where they do the ceremony first, Norse tradition had them do the fest first and a brief ceremony to follow. *

When Gwen and Valkyrie entered, everyone (literally all of Asgard had come to the wedding) stood up. Gwen smiled awkwardly and saluted. "Uh, as you were. I guess." Thor and Loki both chuckled. The rest of the hall laughed as well. Gwen was still smiling as she made her way to her seat. When she sat down, everyone else sat down as well. Except Loki.

"Thank you all for coming to our wedding and sharing in our happiness." Loki said. "I would like to introduce Gwen to all of you, as many of you don't know her." He held out his hand to her and Gwen took it, standing up. "Gwen is of Midgard. I met her a while ago and I knew immediately that she was special. And I took advantage of that. And I regret that more than anything. As time went on, it was Gwen that was able to show me, to remind me what I really was. I'm still working on accepting it, though." Gwen gave a small chuckle, unsure where he was going with this. "Today, she becomes one of us. So know, that today, we not only get the woman most worthy of being a princess and a goddess, but one of the most amazing and loving people anyone could have the pleasure of meeting." He squeezed her hand. "Or marrying."

Gwen smiled, blinking back tears. Then she stood on tiptoe, going in for a kiss but forgetting the veil. Instead, she merely whispered in his ear. "I love you."

A*A*A

The ceremony was quick and simple. The couple merely had to say their vows and share a cup of wine. Gwen was hesitant at first, but in the end decided that a small sip couldn't hurt too much. She wasn't losing her son.

Later, Gwen changed out of the dress and into her old clothes from earth. She and Loki shared a room on the ship near Thor's room. Gwen hummed as she brushed her hair. Loki watched her from the bed, where he was reading a book. Gwen turned to him, still humming. "I remember that song." Loki said, recognizing the tune she was humming.

Gwen smiled and nodded. She started to sing softly.

 _"Your faith was strong but you needed proof_

 _You saw her bathing on the roof_

 _Her beauty in the moonlight over threw you_

 _She tied you to a kitchen chair_

 _She broke for throne, she cut your hair_

 _And from your lips she drew the hallelujah."_

"I love you." Loki said to his new wife. He pulled her into an embrace.

"And I you." Gwen whispered back. Loki leaned down and started to kiss her when they were interrupted by a knock on the door. Groaning, Loki went to go open the door.

"What?" He asked, annoyed. He opened the door wider and Gwen saw that it was Thor.

"Sorry for the interruption. I came to tell you that we are headed for earth now." Thor entered the room and came to stand by their window.

"Do you really think that's a good idea?" Loki asked.

"Of course it is. Earth loves me." Thor said dismissively.

"Let me rephrase that. Do you think it's a good idea for me to go to earth?" Loki asked again.

"Probably not." Thor admitted.

"I won't let them do anything to you." Gwen said. Loki gave her a small smile. He opened his mouth to reply but he was distracted by a large shape appearing from the window. Gwen watched it and as she did, she felt a cold chill spread throughout her. She could feel the same power she felt from the top of the stairs all that time ago. It was him. Thanos.


	24. Chapter 24

**a/n: So I saw Infinity War. You will see SPOILERS FOR INFINITY WAR in this chapter. You have been warned... By the way, pretty sure Infinity War tore my fricking heart and soul out and crushed them... Very depressed right now. So, this will be an AU to Infinity War where Loki does not die. I just cannot bring myself to do that to Gwen. Well, please enjoy! (I don't own Marvel)**

 **Rosalix Archangel- So so sorry I did not reply to you in this chapter! In my haste to get it out while it was still fresh in my mind, I completely forgot to respond to reviews. So i just edited it and put it in. Anyway, Infinity War was good, though I cried both times and I never cry so that was weird. Glad you are continuing to like this story and thank you so much for all your reviews!**

"Thanos," Gwen muttered. She stared at the ship in a mixture of terror and dread. She started to shake a little.

"Why is he here?" Loki wondered aloud in a quiet whisper. He too was looking at the ship in terror, but he hid it better than Gwen did. This was not good at all. Thanos would slaughter them, never letting up.

"You don't think he knows?..." Gwen trailed off, turning to make eye contact with Loki. He had the Tesseract. That's what Thanos wanted. How could he know that they had it though? Why didn't he just assume that it had been blown to bits on Asgard?

"He must," Loki said gravely. Perhaps taking the stone had been a mistake. He only wanted to keep it safe. Yes, he had a few other selfish reasons for it's use, but that was not the point.

"Wait, what are you talking about? What does he know? Who is this Thanos?" Thor demanded. "You can't possibly mean... not the Mad Titan Thanos?" He stared at Loki. Loki and Gwen stared back at him with somber and grave expressions. Thor got even more worried with their expressions. "TELL ME!" he shouted loudly and angrily, slamming his fist into the nearby wall so hard that a large hole appeared.

"The Tesseract," Gwen spoke up right away. "He.. We thought that it might be safer with us instead of on Asgard. We didn't think the flames would destroy it properly. So we took it, to keep it safe," she told her new brother in law, sounding full of regret.

Thor gave them both looks of disbelief. "You... fools. What were you thinking?" Before either Gwen or Loki could answer, the ship shook with a powerful force. Thanos had attacked. "We need to send out a distress call. I will call together what warriors we have left. You two find what weapons we have on this rig. We need to make a stand." Thor got his determined look on his face, ready to go to work.

"We can't stop him," Loki told Thor. "We have almost no warriors left. Even if we did... It would be better for all of us to just cooperate."

"I would rather die," Gwen snarled. "I'm with Thor on this one. Let's kill the b******." She went over to the corner where her sword and armor sat. "We should make a stand while we can." She pulled on the armor and strapped the sword to her side.

"It's suicide," Loki told them.

"Then we shall die defending the universe," Thor said. He looked closely at his brother with wariness and angriness written in his eyes. "Will you fight him with us brother? Or perhaps you'd like to join him in this battle? Save your own skin. It's what you do best, after all," Thor spat at him.

Loki looked like he wanted to make an angry retort but Gwen interfered before things could get more ugly than they already were. "Enough. I don't want to hear this. Right now, it's all of us against Thanos. We can't afford to have disagreements right now. We should go warn everyone."

Loki and Thor both nodded in agreement. There was another loud blast that rocked the ship. Then there were screams. Then there was the loud roar if the Hulk in the distance. None of the three of them said anything, they only sprinted out of the room. Outside, the Asgardian were running about, screaming in terror. Gwen looked down the large hall and saw a group of aliens in black coming down the hall. What had Loki called them? Oh, that's right. The Black Order. Children of Thanos.

With one last glance at each other, Thor, Loki, and Gwen all charged into battle. Gwen felt a little more confident in her abilities now, as she had been made an Asgardian after her marriage to Loki. She now felt stronger, faster, and younger than she had in years. It was incredible.

Gwen swung her weapon at the nearest of Thanos's Black Order. She dodged Gwen's swing and delivered a blow right to her stomach. Even with her new strength, Gwen felt that. She stumbled from the blow and before she could recover, another one was delivered, this time as a slash to her face, which soaked her cheek and forehead in blood and just barely missed her eye. This one knocked her flat on her back. Before the alien woman could jab her sword into her chest, Gwen rolled out of the way. She swung her sword at the ankles of the woman, but before she could do so, the sword was sent flying out of her hands.

Another alien took slow steps forward, waving his hands about, sending things flying and killing any Asgardian in sight. He had powers similar to both Gwen and Loki's, but he must've been quicker because neither of them could defeat this man.

Loki had been trying to, of course. He fought with all his might, but it was no use. The alien man was simply stronger than he was. Loki himself was sent crashing into a wall.

That left Thor as the last one standing. He swung his weapon at them, and they had a much harder time trying to stop him. He was a better warrior than either Gwen or Loki, who were better at magic. The Black Order could not stop him, and Thor was beggining to regain some hope.

Of course, that hope was ripped from him the minute Thanos stepped out of the shadows. He delivered one powerful punch to Thor's head and that was all it took. The power stone did the rest, and it made Thor collapse on the ground, weak and weary. Thanos stood by triumphantly, as Loki surrendered. The other two were on the ground, unable to get up.

"Please, if anyone can hear us, we need help," one Asgardian begged over a radio. He was nearly dead, and one of six still left living on the ship. "Please, we are under attack. We have few warriors left. We need any help. If anyone can hear us..." He never finished. A sword was stabbed through his chest and he said no more.

"This is not destruction as you think it is," the alien with the magic powers said to those left living. All four of them. Loki, Thor, Gwen, and Heimdall. The Hulk was not in sight. Everyone else had perished. "This is mercy. This is your salvation. You have been saved by the almighty Thanos. Consider yourself blessed."

Gwen groaned where she lie. She forced herself to sit up but then she was yanked to her feet and walked over to Thanos's side, along with Thor. "I know what it is like to lose," Thanos said to them all. "To feel so desperately that you are right and to fail all the same. Dread it, run from it, destiny still waits." He lifted his ungloved hand and grabbed Gwen by her head. He then grabbed Thor with his other hand and he dragged them closer to Loki, so he could see up close what he was about to do. Loki could only stand by helplessly as his wife and brother were threatened before his eyes.

Thanos placed Thor beneath his foot and he kept his grip on Gwen's head. "The Tesseract... Or your lover's head," Thanos demanded, placing the power stone dangerously close to Gwen's head. "I'm assuming you have a preference," he chuckled.

"We don't have the Tesseract," Thor tried lying, but Thanos placed enormous pressure on his chest and Thor was immediately silenced.

Loki couldn't speak. His tongue went completely dry and it felt like sandpaper in his mouth. He couldn't answer the question. He wanted to give the Tesseract to Thanos, to try and spare Gwen's life, but it could also go horribly wrong. He saw Gwen shake her head as much as she could. He knew that that meant she would rather die, but he couldn't just let her die.

In his hesitation though, Thanos had grown impatient. He pressed the stone to the side of Gwen's head. She trued to stay strong for Loki, but her plan failed within a millisecond of it being placed to her head. It felt as if her whole body was on fire, everything in so much pain, more pain than she had ever felt in her entire life. She screamed because of that pain and then... Because of something else. While her whole body felt like it was on fire, she felt as if someone had left her. It didn't take her long to figure out just what had happened. Thanos had killed her child.

Now her screams were mixed with sobs and tears as she mourned over the loss of her child. The child that had no name. The son she would never meet.

This had all happened in only a few seconds, though it felt like an eternity to Gwen. "Stop!" Loki demanded once he had found his voice. Thanos stopped right away, smiling with anticipation. Gwen shook her head again, but it was weak and imperceptible behind her tears and weakened body. Loki held up his hand and removed his illusion, revealing the Tesseract. One of the Black Order yanked it out of his hands. Thanos dropped Gwen and took a few steps over to the Black Order.

Neither Gwen nor Thor could move, but Thor did speak up. "You really are the worst, brother," he muttered as he looked at the stone.

Loki smiled as he caught his back up plan lurking in the corner. "You might want to be careful," he warned Thanos.

Thanos looked a little amused. "And why is that, Asgardian?"

"Well for one, I'm not Asgardian," Loki began. "And for another, we have a Hulk," Loki said triumphantly. The Hulk then came tearing through and he landed a hard punch on Thanos's jaw. Thanos was caught off guard, though he fought back. Loki sprung into action, grabbing Gwen and dragging her out of harm's way. He would have grabbed Thor, but he wasn't thinking clearly. "Are you alright?" Loki asked and he helped her to stand up on both feet.

"I'm..." Gwen couldn't say fine. That would be a lie. "Alive. But..." she trailed off again and tears filled her eyes. She was unable to tell Loki that their son had been killed. Instead, she only shook her head and she dried her tears. She would tell him later, once they had defeated Thanos.

The Hulk shoved and punched Thanos into a wall. Some of the Black Order looked like they wanted to interfere, but the one with magical powers held up his hand. "Let him have some fun." It was then that Thanos grabbed the Hulk and threw him into the ground. Gwen watched in shock. She had been hoping that the Hulk would be their secret weapon. However, as Thanos lifted Hulk into the air and threw him on the ground again, she knew just how wrong she was. She was foolish to believe that they could defeat Thanos so easily. Maybe Loki had been right. Maybe they just should've cooperated.

Thor made eye contact with Heimdall, who was still alive. Heimdall nodded. He pressed a button and the Hulk was sent through the Bifrost back to earth before anyone could react. Thanos nodded at one of his children. She grabbed a spear and thrust it through the chest of the gatekeeper. Thor shouted in protest. With a wave of his hand, the Black Order member imprisoned Thor in some scrap metal and closed Thor's mouth. "Shhhh," he whispered condescendingly.

The Black Order member with the magical powers knelt before Thanos. "Almighty Thanos, ever before has the universe seen such a great power. No one has ever weilded two infinity stones at once." He gushed and knelt before Thanos, offering him the Tesseract as well. Thanos took it and he began to crush it until it broke, revealing a small blue gem. One that fit easily into his gauntlet.

"Wait here," Loki said quietly in Gwen's ear. "I'll give you a signal to follow me. On my signal, kneel." He stood up but Gwen grabbed his arm in a panic.

"What?" she hissed in confusion. "No, no, no. Bad idea. I'm not kneeling to him anyway," she said in a hurry.

"It'll be just for a second," Loki assured her. "And I promise I'll be safe. Come on," he took her arm and helped her stand again. "When I let go of your hand, you kneel." Gwen nodded, deciding to trust him. They stepped out of the shadows and took a few steps forward. Loki let go of Gwen's hand and she did as he said and fell onto her knees. "If I might interject," Loki began, "If you're going to earth, you might need a guide. I and my associate happen to have expertise in that area," he gestured to himself and Gwen.

"If you call failure expertise," Thanos replied.

"That has nothing to do with this," Loki said. "Almighty Thanos, I Loki, Prince of Asgard, heir to the throne of Jotunheim, Odin's son, God of Mischief," with each word he took a step closer to Thanos. Gwen watched him closely, she was shaking madly in though. She saw Loki reveal his long dagger behind his back. "Do pledge, my undying fidelity to you." He lifted the knife to stab it through Thanos's throat, but Thanos saw it coming. He froze the dagger with his infinity stones.

"Undying," he repeated. "You should choose your words more carefully." He knocked the dagger out of his hand and then wrapped a gigantic fist around Loki's throat, slowly lifting him up into the air.

"You will never be a god," Loki choked out.

Gwen had been frozen before, but now, her panic and adrenaline took over. "Stop!" she screamed in a panicked voice. Thanos loosened his grip on Loki just enough so he could breathe. Gwen collected herself and stood up, keeping her voice surprisingly level. "You don't want to be doing that," she warned calmly. It must've been the adrenaline.

"And why is that, earthling?" Thanos asked her.

"Technically," Gwen said, her voice still staying level and she even sounded like she was having a conversation with Tony, to her surprise, "I'm Asgardian, now. But, here's why. You need infinity stones to complete your plan, correct?" she asked. Thanos didn't answer her question, but the answer was obvious enough. "As I'm sure you know, there are three more stones just sitting on earth. And it just so happens that I know where all three of them are." That was a bit of a lie. She only knew where two of them, since she didn't know exactly where Vision was, but her lie sounded better. "Now, I could lead you to all three of them, but I don't work for free. I will help you find the infinity stones and in exchange for my services, I only ask that you spare the lives of a small list of people," she bargained easily. Thor was glaring at her while Loki just shook his head at her.

"Name it," Thanos demanded.

Inside, Gwen was shaking with fear but outside, she appeared calm, even bored as she began to list off the people she wanted to save. "Well, Loki for starters," she nodded her head at Loki. "Thor, Stephen Strange, Wong, Christine Palmer, Steve Rogers, Clint Barton, Natasha Romanoff, James Barnes, Wanda Maximoff, Sam Wilson, Scott Lang, Tony Stark, James Rhodes, Bruce Banner, Prince T'Challa of Wakanda, and a kid who goes by the name of Spiderman." Those were the only people she could think of that she cared about, even if it was only a little. She only threw in half of them because it seemed unfair to leave them out. "A short list for all the billions and billions of beings in the universe. Spare them their lives and I will gladly help you."

Thanos stared at her for a moment before dropping Loki to the ground. Loki gasped for breath and he rubbed at his throat. "Agreed," Thanos said. He didn't have to say anything, but his Black Order immediately went to grab both Gwen and Loki. They went through a portal conjured by Thanos. As they were dragged away, Gwen saw Thanos use the power stone to blow up the ship that Thor was on.

Gwen's jaw dropped as the portal closed. "You lying b******!" she shouted at Thanos. "You said you would spare his life!"

Thanos turned back to look at her. "And I did. I didn't kill him. He may still live," he replied easily without the slightest bit of remorse. Gwen's face contorted in rage and she leapt at Thanos. Loki wrapped his hands around her waist to keep her from attacking the Mad Titan. Thanos chuckled darkly. "Lock them up," he instructed the magical member of his Black Order. "Head for earth. Get the time stone." He looked over to Gwen. Then, he reached out and grabbed Loki, pulling him into another death grip. "Where is it?" He didn't wait for an answer, he just pressed the power stone to Loki's head. Loki screamed in pain and he writhed, trying to get out of his grip.

"New York!" Gwen shouted right away. "It's in New York, as is the life stone. Just stop," she demanded in a desperate voice.

Thanos dropped Loki again. Gwen rushed to kneel by his side. "Take them with you," he further instructed. "Keep him locked up, but take her with you."

"If I may," Loki suddenly said as Gwen helped him to his feet. "This time stone resides with her father. She is very close to this situation, too close. It would be better, perhaps, to keep her on the ship as well, rather than risk a potential betrayal," Loki reasoned. He didn't want her anywhere close to a battle. She had been through enough without having to face her father and tell him what she had done.

Thanos seemed to agree with Loki on this. He needed that stone and he could not risk losing it. "Lock them up," Thanos said, "go to earth. Retrieve the stone by any means necessary."

"Yes, my lord," the Black Order member said with a nod. He snapped his fingers at another member, the big one and he escorted Loki and Gwen off to another ship.

A*A*A

"So you don't have any money?" Stephen asked Wong in disbelief.

"No," Wong replied. "Well, I do have one dollar," he muttered and Stephen chuckled. It was then that something crashed through their roof and through the stairs. Stephen grabbed his cloak and he quickly conjured some shields for protection. They looked through the hole and saw a man. He was green, but he was slowly turning back into a man. It took a while for Stephen to recognize him, but he did. The Hulk.

"Thanos," the Hulk said. "Thanos is coming," he said urgently.

Stephen and Wong exchanged glances. "Who?" he asked.

The Hulk sat up. "Thanos. He's this... this guy, this horrible guy. He's coming to earth to destroy it." The Hulk shot up and tried to climb out of the hole. Stephen gave a wave of his hand and lifted him in the air. "Thank you," the Hulk said. "We need to find Tony."

"Stark?" Stephen asked.

"Yes," the Hulk said with a nod. "Do you know where he is? Where am I? Who are you?" The Hulk asked.

"Doctor Stephen Strange," Stephen replied. "This is Wong. And you're in New York. And you're the Hulk." It wasn't a question.

"Yeah, Bruce Banner," Bruce said. "Do you know where we can find Tony Stark?"

"One sec," Stephen replied. He turned around a drew a portal right to Tony Stark. Stephen wasn't a big fan of the billionaire ever since his daughter got locked up thanks to him. Fortunately, she had escaped and now she was on Asgard with Thor and Loki. She said she might stay there until the whole accords thing blew over. He missed her a lot, but he knew she was safe with Thor and even Loki, as apparently, they were together.

"Stark," Stephen said, stepping through the portal. "We need to talk. Oh congratulations on the wedding by the way."

"Yeah, kinda in the middle of something, Houdini," Tony replied gesturing to him and Pepper.

"This takes precedence," Stephen said. "We're facing a terrible event."

"What kind of an event?" Tony asked.

"The world ending kind," Stephen retorted. Honestly, what did he think he was talking about? If they were facing anybody else, Stark would be the last person he would go to. Bruce then stepped out of the shadows to greet both Tony and Pepper. After Stark said a quick goodbye to his fiancé, he followed them through the portal.

"Now, what's this all about?" Tony asked, plopping himself down on a couch.

"There's this guy," Bruce began in a panicked voice. "His name is Thanos. He killed all these people and he said he was after these infinity stones."

"And what are infinity stones?" Tony asked. Wong answered his question and he conjured an image of six of the infinity stones in the air.

"In the beginning, there was an explosion. This caused the creation of seven bases of life," Wong explained.

"Space, reality, power, mind, soul, life," Stephen drew a portal into the relic room and he pulled out his daughter's infnity stone, before he tucked it in his pocket. He looked down at the Eye of Aggamotto on his chest, "and time." The stone began to glow bright green.

"Tell me his name again," Tony requested.

"Thanos," Bruce repeated. "He's crazy Tony. He killed Thor and-"

"Wait, what did you say?" Stephen interrupted urgently. "Tell me again." If Thor was dead, there was a huge possibility that his daughter was dead too. Why had he let her go with them?

"I... I said he killed Thor," Bruce repeated. "He killed just about everybody on that ship, from what I saw. Before they sent me back here." He didn't know why the wizard seemed so stressed about Thor. They must've been friends or something.

"Did you see a girl on that ship?" Stephen demanded. "A blond girl. A young one." His voice rose in a panic and he began to breathe quicker.

"Well, yeah. Wait, you mean... Oh, what's her name?" Bruce struggled to remember the girl's name. The one who was a new Avenger who had filled him in on the past two years.

"Gwen?" Stephen asked, his heart skipping every other beat and he held his breath.

"Yes! That's her name," Bruce nodded. "I saw her just before I left. Thanos was using her against Loki to get him to give him the Tesseract." Stephen suddenly felt dizzy. He lowered himself onto the steps and put his head between his hands. Wong sat beside him and began to try and calm him. "Wait, do you know her?"

"That's his daughter Bruce," Tony told him shortly. Bruce's eyes widened. Now he knew why he looked so panicked.

"Oh.. Oh my gosh, I'm, I'm so sorry," Bruce said. "I... She was alive when I last saw her but..." he trailed off because he was certain that Thanos had killed everyone on that ship.

"When will he be here?" Tony asked Bruce, getting back to the matter at hand. Stephen stood up with a determined look on his face.

"Any minute now," Bruce replied. "We need to find Vision, since he has the mind stone. We need to keep the stones here safe. We can't let Thanos have them."

"Yeah, about that," Tony began and he scratched at his neck. "Vision turned off his transponder a week ago."

"What? No, no, no," Bruce shook his head. "We need to find him, Tony. Do you know anybody who can find him?"

Tony sighed and shrugged. "I guess... Steve Rogers. Maybe. But Bruce, the Avengers... Well, we're not-"

"Gwen already told me what happened," Bruce cut in quickly. "But there must be some way you can... can contact him." He looked pleadingly at Tony, fear written in his eyes.

Tony felt at his pockets. He still had the phone that Steve had given him after the incident. "Yeah, OK." he said. He pulled out the phone and started to dial Steve's number. As he did so, he was distracted by the wind that was blowing through the place. He turned to look at Strange and saw that his hair was gently blowing. "Hey doc? You wouldn't happen to be moving your hair, would you?" Stephen shook his head. That's when they heard the screams coming from outside. Tony pocketed the phone and pushed open the doors.

There was a panic outside. Everyone was running and screaming. A string wind was coming from the side street. Tony walked over there and the others followed close behind. "Are you alright?" Tony asked a person who had just tripped. They only stood up and ran. A car crashed into a lamp pole, which made Tony jump a little. "You might want to get those stones out of here," Tony shouted to Strange.

"We may want to use them," Stephen replied and he quickly conjured himself a weapon. They turned the corner to see a large, donut looking spaceship coming down.

"Friday, evacuate everyone south of forty sixth street, " Tony told his AI. Behind him, Stephen conjured a large shield and he sent it up at the spaceship. It halted immediately. Tony turned to look at Stephen and Stephen gave him a small wink.

It wasn't over yet, though. A blue beam firm the ship transported two aliens down to stand in front of them. One was tall and big like the Hulk. The other was thin and tall. The thin one was the first to speak up. "Pathetic citizens of earth, you now have the great honor of being sacrificed for Thanos's regime. Consider yourself-"

Tony cut him off. "I'm sorry, earth is closed today." The alien looked confused and offended, as though he had never been interrupted before. "We don't want you here."

"Stone keeper," the alien addressed Stephen, "does this chattering animal speak for you?" Tony looked offended as well while Stephen stepped forward. Were it any other situation, Stephen might've laughed, but right now, with his daughter killed by this Thanos and with this threat hanging over them, he knew now was not the time.

"Certainly not. I speak for myself. You are trespassing on this planet and in this city," he conjured a shield and a weapon. "And you killed my daughter. Now, leave, before I kill you as well."

"I did not kill your daughter," the alien replied with a hint if a smile on his face. "She is alive and sitting on that ship," he pointed above them. "As is her friend. She was the one who told us where to find you and the stones. All so she could save her lover."

No one spoke for a moment as they absorbed what he said. Then, Stephen shook his head. "No. You're lying. She wouldn't do that." Gwen had to be smarter than that. She must know what would happen if Thanos got all the stones. She wouldn't risk the fate of the entire universe just to save Loki. Right?

The alien only smirked in reply. "Get the stone," he told his large companion. It grunted in reply and began to take slow steps towards them.

"Hey Banner, you want a piece?" Tony asked Bruce.

Bruce sighed. "Not really. But when do I ever get what I want?" He shook himself and took a deep breath. He grunted in concentration as he tried to bring out the Hulk. A part of him turned green before it faded. He tried again, but nothing was happening.

Tony caught Stephen giving him a look that said, "seriously?" He turned back to Bruce. "Dude, you're embarrassing me in front of the wizards."

"I'm trying. He's not coming out," Bruce told Tony. Bruce tried once more but nothing was forth coming.

"OK you're done," Tony said. "Keep an eye on him," he instructed Wong, who nodded in reply. Tony pressed the device against his chest and the nanotech formed his suit. He aimed his blasters at the giant thing. It grunted in anger before charging at Tony and sending him right through a building.

"Doctor Banner, you need to go," Stephen said. He conjured a portal below Bruce and closed it quickly. Then, he and Wong took on the tall one. They conjured weapons in sync and sent them flying at the alien. He didn't even move from his spot, he only waved a hand and all the weapons avoided him. Then, he lifted some trees from out of the ground and send them flying at the two sorcerers.

Wong and Stephen barely dodged the trees. Before they knew it, the alien had lifted tons of fallen bricks into the air. He wiggled his fingers and they were whittled down to sharp, spear like things. He then gave another wave of his hands and sent them flying right at them. Stephen and Wong quickly drew portals and caught all the weapons. Then, they opened the portal right in front of the alien. Only one brick hit him, but it was enough to piss him off. With a wave of his hand, Wong was sent flying into a building. Stephen attempted to use ropes to grab him, but he took the ropes and used them to fling Stephen into a building. He covered him with bricks so he could not escape.

"You're powerful," the alien conceded. Then he added, "You must be very popular with the children." He reached into the sorcerer's pocket and he attempted to take out the life stone. As he did so though, his hand was burned. He hissed in pain.

Stephen grinned. "Protection spell. Simple, but powerful. I wouldn't try to take the other one either."

"Then I will take them from your corpse," he snarled. He threw Stephen to the ground. Stephen attempted to conjure more ropes, but the alien was quicker. He too conjured some ropes, which wrapped themselves tightly around Stephen's throat until he passed out from lack of oxygen.

A*A*A

Gwen and Loki were thrown into a prison made of glass walls. The door was shut behind them and the alien walked away. "Ugly a**hole," Gwen muttered under her breath. She sat herself up and leaned against the wall, groaning in pain. She touched her face, which was still soaked in blood.

"Here," Loki muttered to her. He sat beside her and used his sleeve to gently wipe away any blood. As he did so, Gwen began to realize all of what had just happened. Her adrenaline now gone, she began to cry silent tears. She had betrayed her friends to Thanos, who would destroy who knows what, Thor was probably dead, and all because she was selfish. Because she selfishly wanted to keep both herself, Loki, and her child alive. And she had already lost her son.

That reminder brought fresh tears to her eyes. Loki caught the tears in her eyes. "I know," he told her. "I know you're scared. I'm sorry. I should've killed him when I had the chance."

Gwen shook her head because she wasn't scared. Well, she was a little, but that wasn't why she was crying. "No," she whispered. "I... When Thanos put the stone to my head, my whole body felt as if it was on fire. It hurt, so much, so much..." she began to trail off as she recalled the pain.

"So you're in pain?" Loki asked in clarification. "What can I do to help?" He thought it was odd, since the stone had been pressed to his head, but he was already recovering.

She shook her head again. "No. Well yes, but not physical pain." She turned her tear filled eyes to face him. "When the stone touched me, it... It ki- illed... It killed him. It killed my son." More tears poured down her cheeks. "Our son."

Loki felt like someone had just torn out his heart. His son, the child he had never met, killed by Thanos. But... This couldn't be right. This had to be some sort of nightmare. He shouldn't be here. Thanos was supposed to kill him so his son and Gwen could live. But instead, he was here and his son was dead. It wasn't right. Loki hadn't cried in years but now, he felt several tears of his own slip quietly out onto his face. "I'm sorry," he whispered. It was all he could think to say.

"No," Gwen said yet again with a shake of her head. "This is my fault. All of it. I'm sorry. I'm sorry I lost him." She cried quietly into her hands. Loki swallowed hard and pulled his wife closer to him, wrapping his gentle arms around her shoulders. She shook with sobs and she cried into Loki's shirt, feeling all the pain she had kept bottled up till now, all the loss that had occurred in a few mere minutes.

"It's not your fault," Loki replied gently and his tears froze. No, it wasn't her fault. This... This was all Thanos. Thor, his son, all of it was Thanos. His sadness was replaced with cold anger. "It wasn't your fault," he repeated. "This was Thanos. I swear to you Gwen, I swear on our dead child that I will kill him myself."


	25. Chapter 25

**a/n: So sorry for the long wait y'all! So, there will probably only be one or two more chapters in this story because of the AU To Infinity War that I have written in this chapter. Btw, SPOILERS FOR INFINITY WAR! Hope you guys enjoy it! (I don't own Marvel)**

 **Forbidden Moons- (all 4) Thank you for all your kind reviews! You're amazing! So sorry for the wait and please enjoy!**

 **Guest (1)- Thank you for the compliment! And thank you for taking the time to review! Please enjoy!**

 **Guest (2)- Here is your update! So so sorry for the long wait! Please enjoy!**

It must've been many hours later that Gwen was awakened by the sounds of loud blasts and screams from outside. They had arrived on earth. And they had attacked. She opened her eyes to see Loki standing by the glass, trying to see something, anything. But there was nothing to see. Just wires, metal, and an empty ship. He returned to pacing as he formulated an escape plan in his head. They couldn't just stay here. He wasn't killing Thanos in a prison cell, that was for sure. First, they had to escape.

Gwen stood up and leaned against the glass for support. "How long do you think we've been here?" she asked Loki, her voice sounding rough and hard. She looked at her husband, who still looked slightly angry.

"Maybe ten minutes," Loki replied shortly. He wasn't mad at her, but his angry tone made Gwen think that he was. Was he angry with her for losing the baby? Did this mean he wouldn't want her anymore? What was going to happen to them? She wanted to cry again, but she felt too tired to cry. Instead, she only lowered her head and avoided Loki's gaze, not wanting to upset him.

In the distance, they heard a door open and shut. Then, the engines roared to life, and Gwen could tell that the ship was taking off, back into space. They must've found both the stones. Gwen could only hope that her father was alright and safe. She felt sick to her stomach. After her last betrayal of her father, she had sworn to never ever betray him again no matter what. She had just broken that promise, by telling Thanos where the infinity stones were. She let this happen because of her selfish desires. Where exactly did that land her?

"He'll be alright," Loki told her quietly, when he saw the terrified and anxious look on her face. "You made a deal, remember?"

"And he already broke that deal by killing Thor," she reminded him just as quietly. "He also told ugly down there to use any means necessary. We can't know that he's alive. And it's all my fault."

"Look at me," Loki said suddenly and fiercely, grabbing her face and forcing her to make eye contact with him. "It is not your fault. None of it. OK? Repeat after me: It is not my fault."

Tears streaming down her face, Gwen repeated after him. "It is not my fault." She said it and the more she said it, the more she began to believe it and the less she began to cry. He was right. It wasn't completely her fault. Thanos would've found the stones and killed them anyway. So this was all Thanos's fault.

"Good," Loki said nodding in satisfaction. Then, he realized how harsh he sounded, though he was trying to comfort her. He softened his face and relaxed his tense shoulders. Then, he pulled her into an embrace. "It'll be OK. We'll kill him, together and we'll never have to worry about him again."

A*A*A

Gwen had calmed down after a while and now, she was mostly angry. Angry at Thanos and angry at herself for acting the way she did. She needed to stop crying and freaking out and focus on the problem at hand. She could mourn later. Now, it was time to get out of here.

Loki was still pacing, but he watched Gwen's changing moods carefully. He watched the tears slow down and stop, before she got that determined look on her face. She had it when they were fighting Hela. She was strong though, he thought affectionately. Most women would have been down for a lot longer than a few hours if they lost a baby. She was already slowly recovering. Of course, she would always have that hole in her heart as would he, but she was still strong.

They heard a loud shout from the distance and Gwen's head snapped up at the sound. She knew that sound, that voice. She shot up to her feet and moved to the glass window. Loki followed her, looking out the small glass door as well. "What is it?" Loki asked.

"It's Stephen," she answered sounding very worried. "I need to get out of here." She banged on the glass. "Hey!" She shouted. "Hey! Get me out of here! You kill him and I'll kill you!" She kept banging on the glass and Loki didn't stop her. He figured it was best to let her take her anger out on the glass.

As Gwen hit the glass over and over, someone finally appeared at the glass. Hanging upside down, was a hero Gwen recognized. The Spider-Man. She stopped banging on the glass right away and gaped at him. What was he doing here? "Hey, kid," Gwen said in surprise. "What are you doing here? Oh wait, can you get us out of here?"

The kid just put a finger to his ear. "Yeah, Mr. Stark, I found the source of the noise."

Gwen's eyes widened in surprise. "Stark is here too?" She didn't know how to think about that. She didn't like Stark, but she didn't necessarily hate him either. But it would be nice to have him here.

Stark then landed right next to the kid. "Well, what do we have here?" Stark greeted, though he looked a little surprised. "My favorite criminals, reunited once more. Hey, I thought he was dead."

"Well obviously he's not," Gwen said. "Is my father here? Get me out of here. What are you doing here? What's happening? Where are the others?" All her questions spilled out of her mouth at one hundred miles an hour.

Tony raised his hand and carved a hole in the wall. It fell away and allowed both of them to climb out. "Just so you know," he spoke to Loki, "I still don't like you. I'm not terribly fond of you either," he told Gwen.

"The feeling is mutual, Stark," Loki sneered at him.

"Yeah, great, we all hate each other," Gwen said. "Can we move on? You didn't answer any of my questions. Is my father here?"

"Yes, he's here," Tony answered. "Peter has a way of getting him out." Tony gestured to the kid, who took off his mask. He was definitely young. Only fifteen at most. He had dark brown hair and matching eyes.

"Then let's go," Gwen said. "This better work, Stark," she told him forcefully. Tony and Peter led the way to an overhead area where Gwen looked down and saw her father being tortured.

"Give me the stone," the ugly child of Thanos said. Gwen made a move towards him but Loki grabbed her shoulder to stop her.

Tony blasted up and landed down behind ugly. Ugly turned around and looked at him. "I could kill you're friend in an instant," he said threateningly.

"I've gotta tell you, he's not really my friend," Tony said.

The ugly guy used his magical skills to lift two big heavy metal objects and float them by his side. "You cannot defeat me," he said, "my powers are too great."

"Yeah well, the kid's seeen more movies," Tony said. Then he blasted the side of the ship, making a large hole in it. Loki grabbed hold of one of the poles nearby and so did Gwen. The wind tried sucking them out, but their grip was too tight. The ugly guy was sucked out and her father nearly was too, but luckily the kid grabbed him and pulled him back in, and then Stark sealed the hole up tight.

Gwen let go of the pole before leaping down to land next to Peter. Loki did as well. Stephen got up and looked over at them. His eyes landed on Gwen and they flooded with relief. "Gwen," he said and he walked over to her.

"Hey dad," Gwen greeted, a broad smile on her face. She hugged him quickly and tightly before breaking away. "Sorry, I know I said I'd be home but... well, things happened."

"I know," Stephen said. "Banner told me." Gwen smiled with relief that Buce was alright. "I'm just glad you're safe."

"And the stones?" Gwen asked urgently, looking at him desperately, just remembering why they were there in the first place.

"Safe. Both of them," Stephen assured her. "Oh, here." He pulled out the life stone and held it out to her.

Gwen hesitated, not taking it. "I think it's safer with you than me," she told him honestly. Stephen looked a little suspicious but he pocketed it and said nothing more, except to Stark.

"What was that?" he asked Tony in annoyance.

"That was me getting you out," Tony replied cooly.

"I don't need your help," Stephen told him.

"Who just saved your magical a**?" Tony retorted.

"Can we stop?" Gwen stepped between the two of them. "We all hate each other. I get it. But right now we need to stop Thanos. We need a plan."

Tony and Stephen broke their glares to nod. "She's right." Stephen said. "Stark, do you know how to get us home?" Tony walked over to the controls and examined them, but he didn't reply. "Stark?" Stephen repeated.

"Yeah, about that," Tony spoke up. "See, I don't think we should go home." Everyone but Peter opened their mouths to object, all speaking at once. "Can you shut up?" Tony demanded after a minute of this. "Look, we have what's Thanos wants. So he's coming to us. Now, I don't know if it's better to fight him on our turf or his, but I think I want to try his, Doctor."

Everyone was silent once again. Finally, Stephen sighed. "Fine. But just know that if it comes down to protecting the stones or you or the kid, I will do what I need to do."

"And if it comes down to the stones or your daughter?" Tony shot right back. Stephen hesitated, not thinking of an answer. Tony nodded. "That's what I thought." He turned to the ship's front window of sorts and started to figure out how to steer the ship.

Stephen sighed and turned back to Gwen. "How did you handle him again?"

Gwen gave a sad smile. "He's not all bad. Just mostly bad."

"I resent that, Copperfield!" Tony called back to them. He and Peter were working on how to steer the large ship.

Gwen chuckled. "I missed you too, Stark," she told him. She turned back to her father. "What happened?"

"You know. Banner crashed through our roof to warn me about Thanos. We got Stark involved, Thanos's little buddies showed up, tried to take the stones, they couldn't, so they took me instead. But I'm a lot more interested in what happened to you." He could tell that a lot had happened to her in so short a time span, and he wanted to help her.

Gwen sat down and Stephen sat beside her. He was ignoring Loki and Loki decided to let his wife and father have a moment. He wandered off to a corner and sat there, but kept a close eye on Gwen. He could see Stark eyeing him closely as well, but he ignored that. It wasn't as if he cared what Stark or anyone here thought of him. Except maybe Gwen.

Gwen looked deep into her father's matching eyes. "Well, after we found Odin, he died pretty much right after. Then, Hela the goddess of death showed up. She somehow transported us to a trash planet called Sakaar. There, this guy named the Grandmaster tried to kill us and a bunch of other stuff that we don't need to get into. He also had the Hulk there. So we got him, picked up another chick named Valkyrie, and left. We went to go save Asgard, defeated Hela, saved the day, Asgard was destroyed, yada yada yada. But, we, meaning Loki and I, we took the Space Stone with us, to keep it safe. Or so we thought.

"We had a brief respite on the ship we escaped on. I... well, I got married," she said shyly. She held up her hand to show off the pretty ring on her ring finger. Stephen's eyes widened in surprise, and he took Gwen's hand in his, examining it. She was probably old enough, but he still felt like she was his little girl. "I'm sorry you couldn't be there. I fully intended on waiting for you, but... I just didn't want to wait. I hope you're not too mad." She looked hopefully up at him.

Stephen automatically shook his head. "No, of course not. I'm a little disappointed that I missed it, but I'll get over it." His eyes glanced over to Loki. "I'll have to have a talking to with him," he continued.

"Dad!" Gwen protested, though she was smiling faintly. "I'm a fully grown woman, you know," she reminded him.

"Maybe, but you're still a little girl to me," Stephen said. "You'll understand when you have kids." Gwen's smile slowly dropped, tears filled her eyes. "Not that I'm pressuring you to have children. Just the opposite. I want you to not have kids. We don't need little Lokis running around, and I certainly don't need to be a grandpa anytime soon. Or ever." He finally seemed to notice Gwen's sad look. "What's wrong?"

She fought back the tears. "Dad, something else happened on Sakaar." Her eyes filled with tears that did not drip down her face, she looked him directly in the eye. "I got pregnant." Again, Stephen looked surprised. But he also sent a sharp glare over to Loki. In spite of herself, Gwen gave a sad smile. "No, it was nothing like that. I'm still a virgin to this day, dad. The child was created by magic. He was special. Almost like Anakin from Star Wars or something."

"Ok," he said slowly. "That still doesn't explain why you look so sad."

A lone tear dropped down her cheek. She quickly wiped it away with the back of her hand. "Soon after the marriage, Thanos attacked. He killed half the people on the ship, and sent most of the other half somewhere else. Thor, Loki, Bruce, Heimdall, and I were left on the ship. He used me to get the Space Stone from Loki, and in doing so, he killed the baby." Another tear fell from her eye and Stephen wiped this one away, and he murmured an apology. While he had said he didn't want her to have children, he was mostly joking, and he felt bad for her. "After that, well, Thanos found out that I knew where the other two stones were, so he took us both on as prisoner, then Thanos got the answer out of me and here we are. Thanos destroyed the ship, and anyone else left on it. Meaning, Thor is dead." More tears fell from her blue eyes, clinging on her eyelashes and splashing on her cheeks.

"I-" Stephen stopped, unsure what else to say. "I'm so sorry. I know you were close to him."

"He was like a brother to me," Gwen whisperer in a hushed voice. "I should've stopped Thanos. If I hadn't forgotten my sling ring or if I hadn't given up my infinity stone, I could've killed Thanos, and none of this would've ever happened." She said all this very bitterly.

"What happened, happened," Stephen said. "Once we defeat Thanos, he will have been avenged. That will put his soul at rest, I am sure."

She nodded shortly and firmly. "That's what I'm going to do. Excuse me. I'm gonna go check on Loki." She smiled at him, only a bit of sadness lingering in that smile. "I'm glad that we get to be together again, dad." He muttered an agreement, hugged her quickly, then went off to help Tony and Peter.

Gwen approached Loki in the corner. "Are you alright now?" he asked her, pulling her close to him. Her head leaned on his chest, and he gently rubbed her back. She sighed contently, and leaned closer into him. This was the most relaxed she had felt since her wedding. She hadn't had one moment of peace since Thanos showed up. So she decided to savor this moment as long as she could.

"Much better now," she murmured gently into his chest. After a few more minutes, she looked up at him. He quickly leaned down and kissed her. It started off gentle, sweet and soft. Cold even. Most of the kisses they shared were cold because of Loki's frost giant heritage. But soon, it became fiercer. He pulled her closer and she resisted the urge to moan because her father, Tony, and Peter were right there, even though they couldn't see them. The kiss became hot. Hotter than any other kiss they had ever shared. Almost a little too hot. Like, burning hot.

Loki had to pull away eventually because it was too hot for him to try and cool. "What was that?" he wondered out loud. While most of him was now cooling off, his hands were still on fire. He looked down and saw that Gwen's hands were glowing bright orange. She followed his gaze and gasped, breaking away her hands. She looked at the glowing bright orange. Smoke was coming off her hands. Loki touched it with an ice covered hand and it melted almost immediately. "Interesting," he said quietly.

"Wait, what's happening to me?" she asked quickly.

Loki smiled in a pleased sort of way. "You were wondering what you would be the Goddess of? Well, this tells you. You're the Goddess of Fire."

After her initial shock, she too started to grin. This was good. This was very good.

In a determined voice, and with the widest grin she had had since the wedding, she said, "I am going to burn Thanos."

A*A*A

They arrived at Titan after several hours. Gwen, Loki, and Stephen were watching the screen while Peter and Tony attempted to steer. They were doing good as they entered the atmosphere, but soon, they were approaching the ground too quickly. They were going to crash.

"Uh, Mister Stark?" Peter said. "I think we should turn." Tony watched the screen in front of them for a minute before agreeing.

"Yeah, you're right. Turn, turn. Turn!" he shouted. They did their best to steer the very big and very heavy ship. It sort of worked, but they ended up crashing into a broken down building, which took off the top half of their ship. Gwen, Loki, and Stephen all stumbled and fell on the ground. It slowed the ship down slightly, before crashing to the ground.

Groaning, Gwen pushed herself to her feet. Stephen, Tony, and Loki all got to their feet too. Stephen and Tony were both breathing heavily. Stephen nodded at Tony. "Nice landing," he said sarcastically.

"I didn't see you do anything magical to save us," Tony retorted. Before another argument could break out, Gwen stepped in.

"We need to focus on the issue at hand," she reminded them. She had easily taken on the roll of mediator between her father and Tony. There had been a time when they got along, but that was before the battle between Tony and Steve. Since then, Stephen had grown bitter towards Tony Stark. Not a surprise, but Gwen felt that it was her fault.

The kid slipped down into their conversation. "Hey guys, if an alien lays eggs in me and it tries to kill you all, I'm really sorry." Gwen snorted. The kid was growing on her.

"I don't want to hear another movie reference out of you for the rest of the trip," Tony lectured him. He was sounding like a father, which Gwen thought was sweet.

"I'm just trying to tell you something's coming," he said. Then, a hole was blasted in their ship. Several people came charging in.

Gwen was soon fighting a weird alien with antennae. She aimed a punch at her, and the weird bug lady grabbed her arm. The top of her antennae glowed bright. She looked up at Gwen with her big black bug eyes. "You feel guilty," she said simply. "You feel angry."

Unnerved by how this bug lady could read her mind, Gwen lifted her up with her newfound strength and tossed her aside. She felt a hand on her shoulder and she turned around to punch them, but it was only Loki. She sighed in relief and turned back to the others. Tony had pinned the big one down, with the help of the Cloak of Levitation. Her father was also watching warily like herself and Loki. The one with a weird mask had a hold of Peter. Peter had webbed up the bug lady and she was standing to the side.

The one with the weird mask spoke, taking off his mask to reveal a normal face. He actually looked like Andy from Parks and Rec. "Alright everybody, chill the f out," he advised. "Now, you're gonna tell me where Gamora is right now or I'll kill your buddy."

"Oh yeah, you kill my guy, I'll kill yours!" Tony shot back. "Let's go!" He revealed a large gun and pointed it at the big guy's face.

"Do it, Quill!" the big one shouted. "I can take it!"

"He cannot take it!" the bug lady replied.

"I'm gonna ask you this one more time," Quill shouted. "Where is Gamora?!"

"Yeah, I'll do you one better: who is Gamora?" Tony retorted.

The big guy had a retort. "I'll do you one better! Why is Gamora?!" he shouted. Gwen couldn't help but snort loudly at that. Whoever these guys were, they were pretty funny. She had to give them that.

"So help me, you better take me to Thanos now," Quill demanded, pushing the gun even harder to Peter's head. So they thought that they were servants of Thanos? Well, no one had ever been more incorrect.

Stephen seemed to understand. "Ok, let me ask you this: What master do you serve?"

Quill snorted. "What kind of a question is that? What am I supposed to say, Jesus Christ?" Again, Gwen snorted. He was pretty funny too. Both Tony and her father shot her a glare, which silenced her.

"You're from earth," Tony said simply, sounding frustrated.

"I'm from Missouri," Quill disagreed.

"Yeah that's on earth, dip s***," Tony replied in frustration. Gwen couldn't help the laugh that escaped her mouth. The whole situation was just too funny to her. She seemed to laugh and crack jokes at very inappropriate times. "Who are you guys?"

"Who are you guys?" Quill shot right back.

"We're the Avengers, man," Peter told him. Quill slowly released Peter from his grasp.

"You're the guys Thor told us about," the bug lady said. Gwen stopped laughing immediately and her eyes shot over to the bug lady.

"Did you say Thor?" she demanded. The bug lady nodded. "When did you see him? Is he alive?"

"Yeah, he was fine," Quill said. "We saved his life after his ship blew up. He's not that great, I don't know why you're so concerned about him," he said with indifference. Gwen felt immense relief. She sighed with happiness. Even Loki was relieved that his brother was alive and well.

"Where is he?" Loki asked. It was the first time he had spoken up and everyone turned to him in surprise, except Gwen, who was too concerned about Thor to be worried what Loki was saying.

"He went with a few of our friends to get a new weapon to kill Thanos," Quill explained to them. Both Loki and Gwen gave sighs of relief. Thor was safe and alive. That was a small comfort at least. But they still had to deal with Thanos, now.

Loki seemed to know what needed to happen next. "Thanos will be coming here. We need to be ready for when he is here."

Tony shot him a half glare. "And why should we listen to you?" He still was wary about the God of Mischief, even if Gwen trusted him. That point was null in his opinion anyway, because he still didn't trust Gwen entirely either. She was too unpredictable.

Loki returned the glare. "Because I know Thanos better than any of you," he answered in a cold voice.

"Yeah?" Quill snorted. "And why's that?"

"I used to work for him," he said shortly. A silence fell over the room. No one spoke. Some people stared, others averted their eyes. A few of the newbies took defensive stances. Loki sent another cold glare to sweep over all of them. "Not unlike your lovely Gamora," he directed at Quill. "I knew her. She was his fiercest warrior. Why don't we let that sink in for a moment." The silence remained, but the defensive stances went away. Everyone looked at the ground, except Gwen.

"He's right," she spoke up. A few glances were sent her way. "If we're going to defeat Thanos, we need every bit of information about him that we can get. Loki is our best bet to defeat him. Him and the Infinity Stones we have. We should come up with a plan to trap him, so I can kill him," she suggested.

"You could not kill Thanos," the big guy from earlier said. A few of his team members sent him bids of agreement. "Look at you. You are much too small and skinny to do much of anything."

Gwen wanted to be angry, but she felt more weary with these newcomers. They seemed clueless to her. "I'm not going to kill him with my strength," she explained. "I've got an Infinity Stone of my own. I'm able to wield it, and only me. I've used it to kill people before. I'm sure that if we got the gauntlet away from him, I could kill him."

The newbies looked skeptical. "She's right," Stephen spoke up. "I've seen her do it before. I'm certain she could do it again. But we can only do it if we all work together."

After a long moment of contemplation from the others, Quill finally nodded. "Fine. But if this fails, and Thanos gets away, I won't forgive you for it."

"He won't," Gwen said determinedly. "I'm going to kill him and believe me, I'll make him suffer."

A*A*A

About an hour later, they were all ready to take down Thanos. Loki was in his position to trick Thanos. Gwen was very hesitant about using Loki as bait, but there was no other way around it. This was the way it had to go.

Loki would distract Thanos, so Stephen could wrap his cloak around his eyes. Then, Peter Quill and Drax would grab his legs. Gwen would use the sling ring to put Mantis on his shoulders, so she could alter his brain to make him want to sleep. Peter Parker and Tony would then work on getting the gauntlet off with the help of Stephen and Loki. Once it was off, Gwen would be able to hold him and eventually kill him.

Thanos arrived through a portal created by the Tesseract. He looked around for a bit before his eyes landed on Loki. Loki gave him a tentative smirk. "Welcome home, almighty Thanos," he greeted with a low bow in front of him.

Thanos was not easily fooled. "Am I supposed to believe that you are suddenly on my side?" he said skeptically.

Loki waved his hand in the air. "Of course, everything I did was all a front for my dear wife. She would never trust me again if I sided with you right away. But now she trusts me, or rather, she did. I have killed her and gotten you her Infinity Stone." Loki held out an illusion of the Life Stone. The real one sat beneath Gwen's shirt, glowing bright orange because of all the anger Gwen felt towards this purple creature.

Thanos did not approach Loki. Instead, he chuckled a dark, deep chuckle. "Do you really expect me to believe that you killed the girl?"

Loki gave a noncommittal shrug. "Well, luckily, the plan was not to get you to believe me. The plan is to kill you." He changed the illusion of the Infinity Stone into a knife. Thanos lifted his gloved hand and Gwen caught her breath. Stephen was right on time though, just as planned. The Cloak Of Levitation wrapped itself around Thanos's eyes, so he could not see. Thanos reaches a hand up to rip it off, but his hand never reached his face. Stephen wrapped a red rope around his hand and pulled it away from his face.

Drax and Quill dived over to the titan's legs. Kicking him in the knees, they forced him to kneel before grabbing his knees. Gwen quickly turned to Mantis, who was ready to go. She conjured a portal, and Mantis jumped through, landing squarely on Thanos's shoulders. She touched her hands to his forehead, forcing him to sleep. It wasn't quite a real sleep, but Thanos was too asleep to be able to fight back. "Hurry! He is very powerful!" Mantis warned the others.

Peter and Tony sprang into action, grabbing the gauntlet and starting to pull. Loki came over to help, and their combined might was working quickly. They hugged and puffed, and Thanos tightened his grip. Gwen leapt through a portal and landednext to Loki to help them pull. Her added strength was enough to yank it off his hand. Tiny shoved it in Peter's arms. "Kid, take this and go!" he demanded. Gwen quickly conjured a portal and Peter leapt through it, far out of Thanos's reach.

Satisfied, Gwen turned to nod at her father. "Tell your cape to lay off," she instructed. Stephen didn't need to say any words for the Cloak to know what to do. It flew off of Thanos's eyes and landed neatly on Stephen's shoulders. Then, Gwen turned to Mantis. "Let him up," she instructed. "I want him to know exactly what is happening to him."

Hesitantly, Mantis removed her hands from his forehead. He looked dazed and confused for a moment before he started struggling again. Gwen couldn't help herself. She started to use her newfound gifts of fire to burn him. He grunted in pain as the heat slowly spread throughout his body. He was still fighting, but the pain was enough to keep him at bay.

"Ask him where Gamora is," Quill suddenly demanded of her. Gwen complied. It was the least she could do, after all the help they offered. Besides, her father's magic and all the others was enough to hold him down.

"You heard the man," Gwen nodded. "Where is Gamora?" Thanos refused to answer and he kept struggling against his bonds. So Gwen quickly made the heat more prominent. Thanos grunted in pain again. "Where is Gamora?" she demanded in a fiercer tone.

Slowly, Thanos began to have tears well up in his eyes. That confused everyone present. What did he have to cry about? Because he lost? Pathetic. "I had to," he finally said.

"Had to what?" Quill asked. He sounded so desperate and upset that Gwen couldn't help but feel sad for him. "Had to do what?" he demanded, speaking louder.

Thanos was slow to speak again, so Gwen quickly sent more pain into him. "To kill her," he finished.

A hush fell over everyone present. Gwen turned her sorrow filled eyes towards Quill, who had tears of his own in his eyes. Slowly, he let go of Thanos. Loki immediately went to grab the leg that Quill abandoned. Quill stood up, seemingly unaware of anyone else but him and Thanos. He shook his head sadly and angrily at Thanos. "No you didn't," he disagreed. Then, a burst of anger filled him. "No you didn't!" he shouted and he punched Thanos in the face. "No you didn't!" he repeated, punching him again.

Gwen could see that their grip on Thanos was slipping. "Quill! We can bring her back! But only if you stop now!" She wasn't really lying, they could bring her back. But it would take some convincing on her father's part. Mostly, she said it to stop Quill.

Quill's anger turned to tears of sadness. "No you didn't," he said again as tears poured down his cheeks. "No you didn't," he slowly back off and turned away to cry.

Gwen wanted to comfort him some more, but right now, the priority was Thanos. She turned an angry glare towards the titan. "I hope you can feel how much I hate you right now," she told him. "And I hope that this hurts more than anything you've ever felt in your life."

With those words she concentrated hard on Thanos. Heat was everywhere. It was almost as if she was on fire. Though she didn't realize it, she actually was on fire. Flames engulfed her body as she stared down Thanos. He started to make sounds of pain as he slowly disintegrated into nothing. It took almost everything Gwen had, but she did it. Thanos was turned to dust. They had won.

Gwen felt rather dizzy after such an arduous task. So dizzy, she could hardly stand up on her feet. She stumbled and fell. Loki stood up quickly and scooped her limp body off the ground. Everyone present was panting heavily. "We won," Stephen finally said.

Drax was suddenly laughing. "Yes!" he shouted. "We have single handedly vanquished Thanos!" Mantis soon joined in his cheering. Peter swung back on his webs. Seeing that Thanos was gone, he gave a cheer too.

Tony was smiling slightly, but he did not cheer like the others. "Can you get us home?" he asked Stephen. Stephen knew the sling ring wouldn't work this time and he started to shake his head when Loki spoke up.

"I can," he told Tony. Tony was slowly starting to trust him, so he looked over to the God of Mischief, ready to hear what he had to say. "I know how to use the Tesseract, so I'll use it to transport us all to earth. Take her." He gently placed Gwen into Stephen's arms before he approached Peter.

Peter looked very wary of Loki, and he held the gauntlet away from Loki. "You can give it to him, kid," Tony told him. Peter trusted Tony more than anyone, so he of course handed the gantlet over to Loki without another thought.

Loki took the Tesseract and worked on pulling it out of the gauntlet. Slowly but surely, it came loose and slipped right into Loki's hand. Carefully, Loki worked on using it to create a portal. It took all his concentration, but he was soon able to do it. A portal right into the old Avengers tower was created. Everyone eagerly stepped through it, ready to return home.

Strange created a portal then, to the Avengers new headquarters, which he had seen before. He did his best to see one of the rooms in his mind and it appeared on the other side of the portal. They steeped through the next portal and back home.

They could hear voices in the distance. They were discussing something. They all followed the sound of the voices to see Steve Rogers, Rhodey, Natasha Romanoff, Bruce Banner, Vision, Wanda Maximoff, and Sam Wilson all standing there. They stopped talking when the others came in and no one spoke for a very long time. They all just stared at each other. Steve and Tony were staring at one another, Natasha glared at Loki, as did Bruce. Vision and Rhodey looked glad to see Tony, while Wanda and Sam were giving the newcomers odd looks. Loki was glaring at Steve Rogers because he knew that he was close to his wife, who he held in his arms. And he didn't like it one bit.

"Tony," Steve finally greeted awkwardly, breaking the silence.

"Cap," Tony returned, just as awkwardly. A long moment of silence followed afterwards.

"This is even more awkward," Sam muttered to Wanda, breaking the silence. Wanda gave a tiny grin.

"Steve," Tony began. "I'm sorry for-"

Steve cut him off. "It's done with," he dismissed. Tony felt a bit of pressure leave his chest and he gave Cap a nod. "I think we ought to talk about everything though," he continued.

Tony and all the others nodded in agreement. There was a lot to talk about.


	26. Chapter 26

**a/n: Please enjoy! (I don't own Marvel)**

When Gwen woke up, she was back in her room at the Avengers facility. She was confused as to how she got there and she moved to sit up when she realized that there was someone right next to her. She turned herhead slightly to see Loki sleeping soundly next to her. She smiled at the sight, but she knew that she had missed a lot. Slowly, so she didn't wake Loki, she slipped out of bed. There were some fresh clothes at the end of her bed. She quietly slipped them on and went to the bathroom to run a brush through her wild hair. Once she looked decent enough to be around other people, she opened her door and went towards the sound of voices.

When she reached the voices, she was happy to see what she saw. Tony was there and so was Steve, but they seemed amiable towards one another. Everyone else on Cap's team was there too, even Bucky Barnes. Prince T'Challa was there, but young Peter had gone home. Her father was there, and so were a few more surprises. A raccoon, a living tree, a green woman, a blue woman, Quill, Drax, Mantis, and even Thor was there, as well as Bruce Banner. Gwen smiled happily at the sight before her.

Thor looked very happy to see her. He took a few steps over to her and swept her into a crushing bear hug. "Dear sister, I'm so glad to see you are safe!" he said happily. Gwen hugged him back, glad to see her brother in law.

"I'm so happy your alive!" she said just as happily. "I thought Thanos had killed you. Hey, what happened to your eye?" She asked, just noticing that he no longer hand an eye patch.

Thor pointed towards the raccoon. "This sweet rabbit gave me a new eye," he told her proudly. Gwen was confused by the name sweet rabbit because it was clearly a raccoon and sweet was definitely not the word she would use to describe the look it was giving her right now. But instead of arguing, she merely hummed in reply.

Her eyes then moved over to Steve Rogers. He looked different, mostly because of the beard he now wore. But he also had longer hair. It wasn't long like Bucky's but it was longer than usual. He smiled kindly at her and walked over to greet her. "Gwen. Glad to see you're ok," he said, somewhat formally. He didn't want a repeat of last night...

 _Gwen had been put to sleep in her old room after Tony explained everything. Loki hadn't moved from her side since. Steve decided that while he waited for Bucky to show up, he would check on his old friend. He entered the room and saw Loki sitting right next to her. Despite Tony's reassurances that Loki was fine now and Thor, who had arrived earlier on, had also reassured him, he was still wary of Loki. But he decided to try for politeness. "Hi," he began. "I just wanted to check on her. See how she's doing." He felt rather uncomfortable. Loki was glaring at him with more hatred than he had seen in the God's eyes before. It was a little scary, but Steve did not scare easily._

 _He walked over to a chair and sat down. He looked at Gwen, who looked so stiff and pale. If he didn't know better, he would say she was dead. Just to be sure, he grabbed her wrist and felt for a pulse. As he did so, he felt a chill run down his spine. His eyes flitted up to see Loki now looking very angry. Sensing it was because he had grabbed her wrist, Steve dropped it right away. "Sorry," he said, though he didn't know why he should have to apologize. "I was just checking for a pulse."_

 _"Don't touch her," Loki snapped at him. Steve's eyes widened and he wasn't sure how to feel. He was slightly nervous by the tone Loki had, but he wasn't one to get nervous easily, and he wasn't really sure what had brought on this sudden hatred. True, they were never friends, nor would they ever be, but he had hoped they could work together somewhat. At least for now._

 _"I'm sorry," Steve said again, though he still wasn't sure why he was so angry. "It meant nothing, I was just treating her like I would any of my other team members," he assured him. Unfortunately, it didn't work._

 _Loki snorted. "Is that right? Tell me Captain, do all your teammates kiss you?" His icy cold glare looked straight into Steve's blue eyes._

 _Steve was confused for a moment, before he remembered what Loki was talking about. It had been one harmless peck on the cheek after they had escaped from Raft Prison. Both of them knew it meant nothing, she just got a little excited. He knew that Gwen loved Loki dearly and his feelings for Gwen were only those of friendship. Back when the kiss had happened, he never thought he would have to deal with anyone, except maybe her father. But now he had her slightly evil and murderous husband to deal with, which was not a thought he had ever had. He also wasn't sure why Gwen had even told Loki about the innocent kiss, but he supposed it was best to be honest with your spouse._

 _"Oh." He felt a light blush creep on to his cheeks, but he did his best to remain serious. "Yes, about that... That was nothing. I've never had feelings like that about her. She is a friend and a teammate to me and nothing more. She was just excited about being able to hear from her father and she got caught up in the moment. I can assure you that it will never happen again. If it helps anything, I do have a girlfriend of my own, sort of, and I know that she would always choose you over me. Any day."_

 _Loki seemed to soften a little at his words, but he was still determined to scare the soldier away. "Good," he said with a satisfied nod. "But know this Captain: if you so much as look at her the wrong way, you won't be around long enough to regret it." After that, Steve felt it was best to leave._

Gwen grinned at her old friend and wrapped her arms around him. She had missed Steve so much and she was glad to see him again. Steve hesitantly hugged her back, hoping beyond all hopes that Loki was not going to walk through that door right now. Luckily, he didn't and Steve was safe. "I missed you so much!" Gwen told him, and then she looked out at all of them. "I missed all of you." Her eyes lingered on Tony for a moment, before she decided to mess with him. "Except for Tony."

A few of them chuckled at that. Tony only stuck his tongue out at her. She let herself laugh and let it slide. She could forgive Tony, and Tony could forgive her and all would be well. "Wait, what about the Accords?" Gwen asked. "Aren't most of us war criminals now?"

"Well, ever since the attacks here in New York and Wakanda, the people have been demanding the other heroes be brought back. You've been out for almost a week and a half. In that time, the Accords have nearly been repealed and all your name's have been cleared. Ross wasn't too happy about that. I wouldn't be surprised if he tried to find another way to throw you all in jail. But don't worry." Tony gave a small smile. "I've blackmailed him into laying low for a long while. He won't be bothering us for a while."

Gwen grinned at him, realizing just how amazing Tony could be when he wanted to. Sure, he was really annoying at times, but he had his moments. She would have to tell him later.

"So, the Avengers are back together then?" she asked. There were a few exchanged looks before almost everyone nodded.

"And we have some new members," Steve pointed out, gesturing to their space friends and T'Challa. "And... if he wants to and if he promises to behave, we would like to have Loki join us too." None of them except Thor looked happy at the prospect.

"Thank you all," Gwen told them with a smile. "We'll talk about this and I'll get back to you."

A*A*A

Gwen walked back to her room and shut the door behind her. Loki was still sleeping on the bed. Quietly, and with a smile, she walked over to him and placed a gentle kiss on his lips.

Loki slowly woke up, and when he did, he immediately pulled her onto the bed. Gwen giggled and let him for a while, before she had to break away. "Hi," she said happily.

"Hello again," he murmured in her ear. "How long have you been awake?"

"A few minutes," she replied. "I wanted to let you sleep some more. You look terrible. No offense."

Loki only smiled and kissed her again. "Well you look wonderful. As always." Gwen yet again let him kiss her before breaking away so they could get down to business.

"We need to talk," she told him. "About what's going to happen next." She gave him a serious look. Loki sat back and nodded for her to continue. "I've talked to the others and they want us to join the Avengers." Loki was a bit surprised that they wanted him, but he didn't interrupt. "I told them we'd talk about it and get back to them."

"Well, what do you want?" Loki asked her.

"I don't know," Gwen said. "On one hand, it'd be nice to help them. I do love working with them. But... I would love to settle down with you."

Loki gave a smile. "I have something to show you," he told her. "It might help you make up your mind."

Gwen was curious and she nodded to him, telling him to show her. "Close your eyes," he told her softly. She did so and Loki took her hand. Soon, Gwen felt a gentle breeze blow through her hair. There was the sound of seagulls cawing in the distance. "Open them," Loki told her. Gwen did so and when she did, she was amazed at the beautiful sight before them. They were on an island. It was a small island and it seemed uninhabited by anyone but them. The ocean was on every side of them, except for the side that was blocked by an enormous mansion of a house. The house was a pure white color with gold edging here and there. It was the most beautiful house she had ever seen.

Loki took her hand. "Come inside," he told her. The two walked inside and it was just as lovely as the outside. Marble counters, wood floors, an enormous fireplace that rested in the floor and was surrounded by couches. A spiraling staircase led up to four bedrooms, each with their own bathroom, and a small balcony over looking the living room. Downstairs we're a few more rooms and even a pool.

Loki watched her expressions carefully. "Do you like it?" he asked after a few moments of silence.

"Like it?" Gwen said in a hushed voice. "I love it. This is the most beautiful house I've ever seen. Where did you get this?"

He smiled a mischevious smile. "Conjured up some fake money to buy it from some man. He suddenly had the urge to get rid of his lovely house and move to somewhere in Norway."

Normally, Gwen might've chastised him for what he did, but at the moment, she could care less. It was an evil thing to do, maybe, but then again, who was she to judge? "So, it's ours now?" she asked him hopefully.

"Yes," Loki said with a nod. "It's all ours." They were both quiet for a minute before Loki continued. "Back when we were fighting Hela, you said you would like to retire. I always imagined us living in Asgard, like royalty. It's what you deserve, after all. But then, Asgard was destroyed and now we're forced to live here. This was the best I could find, given the time frame and the circumstances." Gwen almost snorted because of what he was implying. Like this was somehow less than good. This place was beautiful and amazing. She couldn't imagine anywhere better. "I used to picture our son being raised as a prince of Asgard. And then... when Thanos..." Loki could not speak for a moment, and Gwen had to fight back tears. "Sorry. Well, things aren't what I expected. But I can't imagine being anywhere else than here with you, right now."

Gwen felt filled with love and she stood on tiptoe to kiss him. They stayed locked like this for several minutes, before Loki broke away. "So, does this help your decision?"

She nodded right away. "Yes. I want nothing more than to stay here in this house with you forever." She then placed and hand to her stomach. "And maybe another son. Or a daughter. Just someone."

"I would like that," Loki said. Then, he got a teasing smirk on his face. "But only if we make him or her the proper way." Gwen turned the lightest shade of pink and she shoved him.

"Oh alright," she agreed, feigning reluctance. "But you had better make it worth my time," she threatened him, though she was already sure it would be.

Loki chuckled deeply, which made the hairs on Gwen's arms stand up. "Oh don't worry, darling," Loki muttered in that same deep voice in her ear, which only created more goosebumps. "I shall." He presses a kiss to her neck, and Gwen wanted to let him keep going, but she knew they had to leave for a moment, to tell the others.

"Wait," she said, almost breathlessly. "We have to tell everyone else, first. Then we can come back and you can make it worth my time," she promised him.

"Fine," Loki conceded with a sigh. "Let's go. You tell the others, and I'll pack our things." Loki took her hand again and they were transported back to the compound.

"How are you doing that?" Gwen asked him curiously.

Loki held out the Tesseract. Gwen gave him a look, and he returned with a defensive look. "It was just sitting there. I figured they wouldn't notice if I borrowed it for a few days or so. I'll give it back."

"Good," Gwen told him with a nod. "I'll be back in a few minutes." She returned to the room where everyone else was. The only people who had left were the space people and T'Challa. "Where did Quill and the others go?" she asked.

"Back to space," her father replied. "They're putting the power, reality, and souls stones in safe places for us."

"What about the other four stones?"

"The time and life stone are staying in the New York sanctum with me," Stephen said. "Vision is keeping the mind stone and Tony is keeping the Tesseract safe." Gwen wanted to snort at that, but she decided it was best not to bring it up. "So, have you made your decisions?" Everyone looked at her curiously.

"Yeah," she nodded. "We're retiring," she answered. The reactions were various. Some looked disappointed while others just nodded. "I think it's best for the both of us. I'm sorry to leave you all behind. But just know that if you ever need anything, I'll be there when you call."

There was silence for a moment before Tony spoke up. "Well, you'll be missed, Copperfield," he said. "Not by me, but somebody out there will miss you, I'm sure."

Gwen laughed at that and shook Tony's hand. "I'll be glad to never see you again either, Tony," she replied. He nodded and the two parted ways, no longer as enemies, but as friends.

Bruce was next. "I'm happy for you guys," he told her. "Good luck." He you offered his hand. Gwen took it and shook it and wished him luck as well.

Natasha gave her a nod and also shook her hand. "Don't do anything stupid," she advised her, before they said goodbye.

Rhodey wished her luck as well. Sam told a joke about Loki before saying his goodbye. Vision wished her happiness and luck, and so did Wanda. Gwen wished them all the same and gave Wanda a hug and thanked her for being a wonderful friend.

Then came Thor. He looked a bit sad, but he did not cry. "I'll miss you most of all Thor," she joked with him, but she was sad as well. Thor chuckled merrily and nodded. "Maybe you should visit us sometime. We would love to have you."

"Thank you, dear sister," he replied. "I shall miss you both terribly. And I will visit you soon." Then, he picked her up in another crushing bear hug before he put her down.

Loki walked in the room, but he stayed in the corner. Thor patted Gwen on the shoulder before going to talk to his brother.

Gwen then turned to Steve. "Bye, kid," he said, also holding out his hand for a handshake. Gwen suddenly understood why he was so formal around her. It was because of Loki. Loki must've made it obvious that he didn't like Steve and, though he wouldn't say it, that he was jealous. The thought made Gwen smirk and she pushed away Steve's hand before giving him a hug. Of course, Loki saw, and while his face showed he didn't like it, he didn't say anything. Gwen couldn't help herself, and she kissed Steve on the cheek. Steve turned bright red before backing away from her. "Why would you do that?" he asked, sounding a bit angry. "You know how he feels about that, right?"

Gwen smirked some more. "Because he's really hot when he's jealous," Gwen told him, making Steve blush some more. "Sorry," she then apologized sincerely. "I probably shouldn't have done that. But he won't hurt you or anything. I promise."

Steve only shook his head at her. "You're something else kid. I'll see you later."

Gwen smiled. "Bye," she returned with a nod of her head before she turned to her father. He was smiling sadly but he didn't cry either. "Bye dad," she said softly, giving him a hug. "I promise to visit often. And you can come and visit too, if you want."

"Of course," he nodded. "Keep in touch?" She nodded fiercely at that. "I love you, Gwen," he told her, giving her another hug and a small kiss on the top of her head.

"I love you too, dad," she told him and they stayed like that until Gwen had to go.

A*A*A

Loki was watching Gwen say her goodbyes when Thor walked over to him. "Well, brother," he began, trying to keep his emotions in check. "I suppose I knew this was coming eventually. And now that it's here, I don't know what to say."

Loki nodded, also unsure what to say. Thor continued. "I just wanted you to know that you were always my brother, no matter what. And... I've always loved you, brother. And I still do. So, if you ever need anything, please come and talk to me."

Loki was silent, and he was trying to keep all his emotions beneath the surface. "Yeah," he finally said after taking a big swallow. "And uh, I uh," he sighed, because he could not get the right words out.

Thor smiled and nodded. "I understand," he said simply. Loki gave him a grateful nod and Thor did something unexpected. He gave Loki a small hug, which Loki returned as best as he could. But Thor did understand and he appreciated that Loki was trying.

When they broke apart, they stood side by side in silence. Loki watched Gwen as she refused to shake the Captain's hand and instead pulled him into an embrace. He scowled to himself, but said nothing. That girl was more trouble than she was worth. Then, she kissed him on the cheek. Loki almost made a move over to her and the soldier, but Thor places a bracing hand on his shoulder, while chuckling. "Don't worry about the Captain, brother. He is the victim in this. Your lovely wife is very much like you, I think."

Loki gave Thor a cold glare. "When have I ever done something like this?" he questioned.

Thor gave him a look. "I seem to recall a Valkyrie that Gwen disliked because of jealousy, which you reveled in."

Loki scowled, but he knew Thor was right. It had made him rather pleased when he saw her jealous over the Valkyrie. And now that he was on the flip side of this, he wasn't sure he liked it. Oh, he would show her what happened when she messed with him. A small smirk crossed his face. She would never look twice at the soldier when he was done with her.

Gwen then said her goodbyes to her father, before she finally walked over to him. To her surprise, he didn't look angry with her over what she did with Steve. In fact, he was smirking, which made Gwen feel a little uneasy for a moment. "Shall we get going?" Loki asked her pleasantly, which only made her feel weird.

"Yes," she answered, doing her best to not sound confused. She turned back and gave everyone a smile. "Bye!" She called out again. The others all responded, and with that, they left the room.

They grabbed all of Gwen's things before she used her sling ring to take them back to the house. They dropped off the luggage, and Gwen couldn't stand how weird Loki was acting anymore. "Alright, spit it out," she demanded once they had dropped her stuff off in their room.

Loki gave her another smirk, but he also sounded innocent. "Whatever do you mean?"

"Quit playing games," she demanded. "Are you trying to tell me that you have no problems with me kissing Steve back there?"

His smirk only widened at her question and he stepped closer to her. "Oh, I didn't like it, if that's what you're wondering," he told her. Gwen felt her heart start to race, for no apparent reason. He bent down close to her ear. "But I just know that you'll never look twice at him when I'm finished with you," he growled in her ear. Gwen shuddered and Loki pressed his lips to hers.

Gwen suddenly knew that he was right. He would make every moment with him worth her time.

A*A*A

Three years later

Gwen gently bounced her little baby girl in her arms. She had dark black hair like her father, and his green eyes. Little Frigga was only a few months old, but she was already a fiesty one. She was learning how to change shape, which confused Gwen a little. Loki said that he was able to do that as a baby as well and that there was no need to worry about that.

She places a burb cloth over her shoulder and carried the baby out of her room, where she had been feeding little Frigga. Over the balcony, Gwen could see the living room. She smiled at what she saw. Loki was playing with their two year old son, Olvaer. Olvaer was giggling as his father tossed him into the air and caught him again. Olvaer looked more like his mother, with his dirty blond hair and blue eyes.

Loki then caught sight of Gwen up on the overlook. She hadn't changed much from the day he first met her. Her hair was longer, but she was just as beautiful as ever.

Loki didn't look much different either. He had cut his hair, so that it was shorter, but it only made him look better. Gwen smiled back at him. "Dinner will be ready soon. Uncle Thor and Grandpa Stephen are coming over for dinner, Olvaer, so be sure your room is clean."

Olvaer didn't look too happy about that, but Loki gave him a gentle nudge. "You heard your mother. Go and do as she says." Reluctantly, the two year old boy set off to do as his parents told him.

Gwen came down the stairs and Loki met her at the bottom. He opened his arms, ready to hold his daughter, who was named after his mother. "She's looking more like your every day," Gwen said, kissing the top of her head.

Loki smiled at that and he rocked his daughter gently. "Gwen?" he suddenly asked. She hummed in reply as she checked the oven to see if the apple pie was ready. "Are you happy here?"

She looked up, a bit surprised by the question. Then, she closed the oven and walked over to him, wrapping her arms around him and their daughter. Their son rushed out to join them, holding on to his father's leg. "Yes," she told him. "I'm very happy."

They then shared a kiss and Gwen wished for happiness like this forever.

 **a/n: Thanks to all of you who have stuck with this story until the very end! I hope you liked it and I hope that you will try some of my other stories out! Love all of you!**


	27. Author's Note

**A/N: I LIIIIIIIVVVVEEEE!**

 **Hey there guys! I bet you thought you'd seen the last of me. So, first off, this is to thank those who have reviewed and favorite/followed this story even after it has been finished! I'm amazed at the amount of people that are still reading this even after it has finished. So, I'll reply to reviews here, but the reason for this note is to announce that I am going to (drum roll please...) be writing a sequel (of sorts)!**

 **It's going to be an AU to this story, in which Stephen decided to keep Gwen instead of put her up for adoption. The time line is going to be screwed with a bit, because i'm going to also do a what if after Sitwell mentioned Stephen Strange in CA:TWS, Steve decided to go loking for Stephen Strange.**

 **Here's the basic list of what if's:**

 **~ What if Stephen never gave Gwen up for adoption?**

 **~ What if after Agent Sitwell mentioned Stephen Strange in CA:TWS, Steve decided to find him?**

 **~ What if Gwen was never evil?**

 **~ What if Loki had been sentenced to serve a part of his sentence on earth with the Avengers?**

 **~ What if Gwen became an Avenger much sooner than the Gwen we all know?**

 **So yeah... the timeline will be something like this...**

 **Avengers: 2012**

 **Doctor Strange: 2012**

 **CA:TWS: early 2013**

 **T:TDW: early 2014**

 **Then everything else will take place as it should. It may be a while till I can get this out, but I will hurry as quick as I can. I hope some of you are interested and look forward to it! If you have any questions, comments, concerns, etc. feel free to leave me a review or a PM!**

 **Now onto reviews!**

 **tessagclaryf- Thank you! I'm glad you liked it. Thanks for sticking with it till the end!**

 **The Jingo- Thanks! Lol, yeah, the baby was a spur of the moment thing that even I kinda regret now. Anyways, thanks for the compliment and thank you for reading!**

 **~ Harry Potter and the TARDIS**


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